(NewsNation) — The surge of migrants at the southern border has drawn the interest of billionaire Elon Musk, the owner of X, formally known as Twitter.
In a series of posts, Musk said he could visit the border as soon as Thursday.
“They are being overwhelmed by unprecedented numbers – just hit an all-time high and still growing!” Musk wrote in a post. “Am going to visit Eagle Pass later this week to see what’s going on for myself.”
The most recent data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection reveals 230,000 migrant encounters along the southern border in August. Officials report approximately 11,000 encounters were recorded last weekend.
Musk stated that he spoke with Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, whose district includes Eagle Pass, and highlighted that local hospitals and shelters are facing overwhelming conditions.
“I have never seen the crisis this bad. Over 2,200 people entered in this sector yesterday illegally. In El Paso, over 2,000 people illegally. We are out of time,” Gonzales said.
Some law enforcement officials along the southern border are open to a visit from Musk, believing that fresh perspectives could lead to innovative solutions and potentially provide funding for additional technology and personnel.
“Technology works but you can have all technology in the world — you’re eventually going to need a human with the badge to go out there and make those successful arrests,” said Terrell County, Texas Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration has disclosed that officials from CBP met with Mexican authorities to discuss the necessity for “coordinated engagement,” including mirrored patrols with local Mexican law enforcement agencies.
NewsNation reached out to the local sheriff and Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas but did not hear back. Texas Department of Public Safety wasn’t available for comment.
