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[In progress] -- so the message -- so according to them, the message [Inaudible] send to the whole world is that if you cross the border illegally, which is a crime, don't worry about it. If you get ordered or removed by a federal judge after due process, don't worry about it because there shouldn't be mass deportations.
Is that the message we send the whole world? People are still going to put themselves in harm's way come to the greatest [Inaudible] they're going to spend their life savings to give to the criminal cartel. We saw during the Biden administration when there was no immigration enforcement. Over 4,000 aliens died making [Inaudible] over a quarter million Americans died of fentanyl [Inaudible] secure boarders save lives.
[Inaudible] understand that. We have the right to secure our borders like they have the right to secure their facility. You can't go [Inaudible] matter of fact, the penalties for entering their facilities are much worse than ours. So you know, we're going to force the law and by doing that we're saving a lot of lives.
Secure borders save lives. And one of the reasons no one talks about why we have the most secure border in the history of this nation is because exactly what ICE is doing. ICE has sent a message to the whole world, don't give your life savings to come to the country because you're not going to be released from.
You're not going to cross the border illegally or you're going to be prosecuted. The Catholic church was wrong. I'm sorry, I'm a lifelong Catholic. I'm saying it as not only a border czar, but I'll say it as a Catholic. I think they need to spend time fixing Catholic Church, in my opinion.
On H1-B visas did you take the president's [Inaudible] kind of a reversal? Do you think that policy is going to change based on [Inaudible] that?
That's still being discussed. [Inaudible]
There are reports out of London, the British intelligence is no longer sharing intelligence with the US following grave concern about the legality of operations in the Caribbean. Can you confirm that? And what is your reaction to the idea that a key ally like the UK is so skeptical of the legality of your operation?
First of all, it's out of my lane, but I don't think -- the UK is a friend of this country, a friend of the president. I don't think there's skepticism and I'm not familiar with not sharing intelligence. Again, it's out of my lane. I'm the border guy, so that's a question for Pete Hegseth, or the Secretary of State.
any more on the protests outside of the [Inaudible] facility? Any more on the protest outside of the --
They have a right to protest. Have at it, but don't cross the line. I was watching the video before I came out here, when they put hands on a law enforcement officer. They're getting arrested, going to jail. You have the right to protest but don't cross a line. You know, if people would just look at the data the way it reads that what ICE is doing, the vast majority is public safety threats.
I know some of you here say that's not true because you're not criminals, you're not convict. If we arrest somebody in a county jail or state prison that has a criminal conviction, well, it's not -- you know, DUI, I read one report says, well, a lot of these are DUIs, that's really not a crime. Really? 12,000 people a year die from DUIs.
I consider that a significant public safety threat, but then they say, well, some of these aren't convicted.
Well, we arrest them in a county jail. They're in jail, locked in a jail cell because they arrested for a crime. We consider those convicted and those pending criminal charges, criminals. But you got a lot of the media saying, well, most of the people in ICE detention aren't a criminal. Wrong. I looked at the data this morning, more than half are criminals.
And as far as what we're arresting, it hovers around 64 to 70 percent are criminals. And who are the others, 30 percent which the media ignores, a lot of them are national security threats. Most national security threats don't have a criminal history. We arrested several thousand Iraqi nationals. Most of them don't have a criminal history.
Why is that? Because they're laying low to do whatever they're going to do. A lot of them are gang members. A lot of gang members don't have criminal history. And like I said, a lot of them are fugitives. Those who had due process were removed and went and went. We have been arresting them. But where do most non-fugitive, non-criminals, non-public safety threat, non-national security threats, where do most of them get arrested, sanctuary cities.
Because they rather than giving us the bad guy in the safety and security of a jail, they release him in the community. We go in the community and find them. When we find them, many times with others, others in United States illegally. But guess what, they're going to get arrested too. They're in the country legally.
It's not OK to be in a country legally. It's not OK to enter the country legally. It's a crime. And the message we're not going to send, come here illegally. Just don't commit another crime and you're safe, not the message we're going to send. That's why we've had the most secure border in lifetime history in the history of this nation.
Not only that, let's not forget, it's just not about immigration. It's just not about secure community. The stronger the border is the stronger our national security is because now we have a pretty good handle on who's coming in, what's coming in, and what's coming in and why it's coming in, which didn't happen in the four years of Biden administration, 2.1 million got-aways, biggest national security vulnerability this country has ever seen.
Can I ask you about the refugee camp? Now that the president has announced that the shutdown is ending, will you consult with Congress on those 2020 refugee targets or no?
There's discussions going on.
With Congress?
Yes.
It's my understanding that's mandated. That's why I'm asking. I guess I'm curious whether there's flexibility in that number or is that --
I mean, I talk to members of Congress every day, every day, so there's discussions going on. But look, it's the president's ultimate authority. And you know, but I think -- I think this administration is working well with members of Congress on anything related to immigration.
Sir, Mr. -- sir, Nicolas Maduro down in Venezuela, do you think his days in power are numbered? The pressure's really ramping up.
I can't comment on that.
One more. Do you think the $50 million bounty on his head, that reward being offered by the US for his arrest and/or conviction, is $50 million enough or do you think that needs to go up?
I got no comment on that. Look, Maduro is not a friend of this country. What they did during the last four years, they sent, you know, Venezuelan gangs to this country. We saw what happened. We saw how many young women were raped and murdered by members of this gang. What I -- what I appreciate, President Trump took immediate action calling a terrorist organization, MS-13 a terrorist organization, it was the right move to me. And I said even before the administration came into power, designating these groups terrorist organizations, is the right thing to do, especially the drug cartels.
They've killed more Americans than every terrorist organization in the world. It's about time we had a strong presence like President Trump come in and hold these people accountable.
Thank you.