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US Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens has warned that migrant smugglers are exploiting vulnerabilities at the southern border and are, in return, creating a national security issue for the United States.

In a recent interview on CBS News’s “Face the Nation,” Owens disclosed that smugglers are dictating the operational dynamics at the border and manipulating the US response to their activities. He emphasized that the smugglers’ strategies are designed to stretch the resources and attention of the border patrol, particularly by taking advantage of US officials’ humanitarian priorities.

Owens said, “They dictate what the flow is going to look like, and we respond to it. Then we try and get out in front of it and deny them the ability to use these areas, especially ones that we think are going to be dangerous for us and for the migrants. But at the end of the day, there’s over 1,900 miles of border with Mexico. The tactic is, they’ll push groups across knowing that we’re going to respond from a humanitarian perspective and make sure that they’re safe. And while we’re tied up and occupied doing this, what are they doing a couple miles down the road?”

Even with a force of 20,000 agents, Owens admitted it is impossible to cover every section of the border simultaneously. This limitation allows smugglers to divert attention through humanitarian concerns, subsequently exploiting less monitored areas for illegal activities.

The Border Patrol Chief also highlighted the security risks associated with “got-aways,” individuals who evade law enforcement, labeling it as a national security threat. He said, “Border security is a big piece of national security. And if we don’t know who is coming into our country and we don’t know what their intent is, that is a threat. And they’re exploiting a vulnerability that’s on our border right now.”

This all comes as the United States has seen a significant increase in illegal border crossings in the last three years, with both political parties blaming each other for the issue. Republicans blame President Biden’s policies as a reason for the spike in illegal crossings, while Democrats blame Republicans for failing to compromise on passing new immigration reform laws.