Senator Hamilton Visits Southern Border; Emphasizes Need for Enforceable Solutions to Border Crisis

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, visited the U.S.-Mexico Border to complete a three-day training provided by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). The course gave lawmakers and law enforcement officers a first-hand look at the crisis at the southern border and offered insight into the actions and infrastructure needed to secure entry points into the United States and apprehend those attempting to illegally cross the border.

“There is a legal and safe pathway for entry into the United States, but the Biden Administration’s failure to secure the southern border has allowed our nation to be infiltrated by millions of individuals who have ties to cartels or are involved in human or drug trafficking,” Hamilton said. “This training allowed us to hear from law enforcement agencies who have witnessed this invasion firsthand and have successfully apprehended millions of individuals at the southern border.”

“FAIR’s border training is a must for any public official. The increased awareness of how to combat human trafficking and fentanyl are essential to our public safety and national security,” Hamilton added.

The training also highlighted successful strategies implemented by the State of Texas to apprehend illegals, including partnerships between state troopers, local law enforcement, and landowners. Physical borders such as walls, fences, and buoys have also been successful in stopping attempts to illegally cross the border. Hamilton pointed to successful efforts in the Shelby Park area in Eagle Pass, Texas where there were more than 6,000 apprehensions in December of 2023, and only one in August 2024.  

“It is unknown exactly how many people are illegally occupying states across our nation, but estimates indicate it is more than 12 million,” Hamilton said. “We must continue collaborative efforts between law enforcement, state governments, and the National Guard to apprehend these individuals before they can make their way into the U.S.”

Hamilton added that the statistics related to the border crisis are staggering, as more than 1.4 million individuals were apprehended in 2022, and more than 521,000 apprehensions have occurred so far in 2024. More than 21,000 children have been trafficked through the Rio Grande Valley Sector alone, an area spanning roughly 320 miles of river and 250 miles of coast.

“Oklahoma legislators and law enforcement recognize that every state is now a border state. We are dedicated to finding enforceable solutions to this crisis,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton was joined at the FAIR training by Undersheriff James Collins and Deputy Kevin Gray of the Haskell County Sheriff’s Office; Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton; Senator-Elect Avery Frix; and District 27 Drug Task Force Supervisor Tim Turner. The group hopes to return to the border next year along with additional legislators and law enforcement officials.

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For more information, contact: Sen. Warren Hamilton at 405-521-5604, or email Warren.Hamilton@oksenate.gov.