Part 3/12:
One of the first topics discussed was the common confusion between immigration policy and border security. Manadas emphasizes that border security is a broader, more comprehensive concept encompassing national security efforts to prevent illicit activities. Border patrol agents primarily address symptoms like illegal migration and narcotics trafficking but highlight that these are symptoms of a larger, underlying issue.
He insists that focusing solely on immigration policy oversimplifies a complex system, asserting that immigration itself is a symptom, with narcotics trafficking and other threats being secondary. He asserts that border security should be viewed as a national security matter, requiring a holistic approach rather than just immigration enforcement.