Fox News Channel continued to be the primary TV news outlet that was keeping its viewers informed on the ongoing border security crisis as the liberal broadcast networks had packed up and gone home to New York and Washington, D.C. And during Thursday’s Special Report, correspondent Bill Melugin was on the ground in Rio Grande Valley, Texas showing off the tools illegal immigrants used to sneak into the country and the measures Texas authorities had to employ to stop them.
In his live shot at the end of the segment, Melugin held up a makeshift rope ladder illegal immigrants had left behind on the border levee wall:
Take a look. This is how they did it. They left this behind. They made this makeshift hook and ladder system made out of rope and PVC pipe. Look, there’s a ring on it. What they do is, they put a long stick or pipe in it they use it to lift it up raise it, raise it, raise it, clip onto the levee wall, it hooks on, it laches, and they just climb right on up. One of the many ways they’re able to get across.
On the opposite end of the segment, anchor Bret Baier noted that a new Fox News poll showed that half of registered voters were digging former President Trump's border wall idea. “Our new Fox poll indicates growing support for building a border wall with Mexico. 50 percent of those responding like the idea. That's up six percentage points from December of 2019,” he announced.
Melugin highlighted the Biden administration’s disconnect from reality by noting that “DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tripled down, insisting yet again the border is secure,” but also showed how Border Patrol and other law enforcement agencies were struggling to keep up with the surge of illegal crossings:
Exclusive video from the Fox Flight team shows illegal immigrants fleeing from Border Patrol in la Jolla, Texas, early Thursday morning after they rushed the U.S. Border. It's a scene we have witnessed happening almost daily here in the Rio Grande Valley.
Our Fox cameras also on scene this morning in Granjeno, where Border Patrol tracked down and apprehended another group of runners that had climbed over the border levee and ran four miles inland before trying to hide from agents in the brush, unsuccessfully.
“We saw heavily armed Texas state trooper gunboats patrolling the Rio Grande in Mission, Texas. Abbott says state troopers have arrested 1,100 criminals and 33,000 illegal immigrants during this surge,” he noted.
Recapping a story that also went unmentioned by the broadcast networks, Melugin recalled that “in Texas' Del Rio sector, Border Patrol agents apprehended 10 convicted sex offenders who crossed illegally in just one week.”
Also included in the report, Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) putting the blame on President Biden:
The border security policies changed overnight under the Biden administration. One was the elimination of the remain in Mexico policy. [Transition] And the other was the clear message that they were going to be welcoming in everybody.
And there’s the truth the broadcast networks wanted to keep from their viewers.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
Fox News Channel’s Special Report
May 27, 2021
6:25:54 p.m. EasternBRET BAIER: Our new Fox poll indicates growing support for building a border wall with Mexico. 50 percent of those responding like the idea. That's up six percentage points from December of 2019. As you see there, 46 percent do not. 48 percent believe immigrants help the country, 39 percent disagree. 11 percent say it depends.
We have new video tonight of Texas State law enforcement officials using heavily armed gunboats to try to deal with the continuing immigration crisis and surge along the southern border. We’re also seeing chases and apprehensions on the ground along the border. All of this happening as the Biden administration continues to claim that border is closed.
Correspondent Bill Melugin reports tonight from Rio Grande Valley, Texas.
[Cuts to video]
BILL MELUGIN: Exclusive video from the Fox Flight team shows illegal immigrants fleeing from Border Patrol in la Jolla, Texas, early Thursday morning after they rushed the U.S. Border. It's a scene we have witnessed happening almost daily here in the Rio Grande Valley.
Our Fox cameras also on scene this morning in Granjeno, where Border Patrol tracked down and apprehended another group of runners that had climbed over the border levee and ran four miles inland before trying to hide from agents in the brush, unsuccessfully.
On Wednesday, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tripled down, insisting yet again the border is secure.
SEC. ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS (Department of Homeland Security): The border is closed.
MELUGIN: But Texas Governor Greg Abbott pushing back today, saying his state troopers are having to do the federal government's job here at the border.
We saw heavily armed Texas state trooper gunboats patrolling the Rio Grande in Mission, Texas. Abbott says state troopers have arrested 1,100 criminals and 33,000 illegal immigrants during this surge.
GOV. GREG ABBOTT (R-TX): The border security policies changed overnight under the Biden administration. One was the elimination of the remain in Mexico policy. [Transition] And the other was the clear message that they were going to be welcoming in everybody.
MELUGIN: Meanwhile in Texas' Del Rio sector, Border Patrol agents apprehended 10 convicted sex offenders who crossed illegally in just one week. And in Hidalgo, we encountered this group of Guatemalans apprehended by Border Patrol after hiding in the brush next to a U-Haul store.
This man told me this was his fifth time trying to cross into the U.S. and he paid a smuggler $10,000 to do so.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN (Via on-screen translation): We beg the President to have pity on us. To give us an opportunity, as adults, to progress.
[Cuts back to live]
MELUGIN: And Bret, we mentioned in that report how some of those illegal immigrants were able to literally climb over the border levee wall.
Take a look. This is how they did it. They left this behind. They made this makeshift hook and ladder system made out of rope and PVC pipe. Look, there’s a ring on it. What they do is, they put a long stick or pipe in it they use it to lift it up raise it, raise it, raise it, clip onto the levee wall, it hooks on, it laches, and they just climb right on up. One of the many ways they’re able to get across.
We’ll send it back to you.
BAIER: Happening every day. Bill Melugin along the southern border. Bill, thanks.
