SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Joint Task Force – West (JTF-W) Director Manuel Padilla, Jr. told Breitbart News that physical barriers on the U.S. southern border actually do matter during a 45-minute exclusive interview.
“Do you think the physical barriers really do matter?” Breitbart News Border and Cartels Director Brandon Darby asked Director Padilla. “Oh absolutely, absolutely,” the director emphatically responded.
“I actually started talking about those things when we were very busy in South Texas,” Padilla explained. “And if you look at it proportionally, the tactical infrastructure that we have — to include the walls — is a lot less in South Texas than in other parts of the country.”
Prior to his appointment as the Department of Homeland Security’s Joint Task Force — West, Padilla served as Chief Patrol agent for the Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Sector — the nation’s busiest sector for migrant apprehensions.
“That’s nobody’s fault,” the director continued, “we were very busy in El Paso, we were very busy in San Diego in years past and it’s kind of shifted traffic to different areas.”
Trump drops Marjorie Taylor Greene endorsement, calls her a ‘ranting lunatic,’ hints at backing primary rival
Charlotte promises to resist pending federal immigration raids: ‘Campaign of terror’
Zohran Mamdani tells 1M social media followers to boycott Starbucks amid ongoing worker strike
Antifa members indicted in Texas ICE facility riot, attempted murder of officer
Kai Trump Bounces Back from Rough LGPA Debut: ‘A Lot of Pressure On Her’
DHS Accuses Federal Judge of ‘Putting the Lives of Americans Directly at Risk’ as He Orders Release of 615 Illegal Aliens
Explosive new documentary probes ’80-year global coverup’ of UFO secrets
Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing $272,205 from a Church, Seemingly Avoids Prison Time
Democrats mocked for ‘out-of-touch’ comments dismissing no tax on tips: ‘Peak elitism’
Tom Brady’s New NYC Store Robbed Less Than Two Weeks After Opening
Ex-judges blast top Trump DOJ official for declaring ‘war’ on courts
Patel pushes back on Tucker Carlson’s Thomas Crooks exposé calling into account FBI investigation
Judge rejects Rep. LaMonica McIver’s bid to toss assault case, says her actions had ‘no legislative purpose’
Eric Swalwell considers jumping into California’s crowded governor’s race
Hunter Biden Spouts Unhinged Conspiracy Theories About Charlie Kirk’s Assassination, Claims it ‘Only Served’ MAGA
“The 654 miles of border that we have in place have been built to some extent or another under previous administrations,” he stated. “I think this administration is focused not only on border security but on law and order in general.
“I was very hopeful, very happy when I saw that this administration was very focused on establishing the personnel, technology, and infrastructure to the levels that we are working on and also that engagement with Mexico and Central America,” Padilla concluded.
Director Padilla’s full interview with Brandon Darby:
President Donald Trump appointed Director Padilla to lead the Department of Homeland Security’s Joint Task Force — West in October 2018. The task force coordinates the assets and personnel of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the U.S. Coast Guard, and other federal agencies to secure the U.S. southwest border.
Story cited here.
