Biden's border crisis turning 'every state into a border state,' Blackburn warns

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EXCLUSIVE: Tennessee Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn told Fox News Wednesday that the Biden administration's crisis at the border has turned "every state into a border state."

"They thought this was going to help them to appear compassionate, but quite the opposite has happened," Blackburn said of the Biden administration's approach to immigration. "They have not appeared to be compassionate at all because of what these immigrants are experiencing as they are making this journey."

The U.S. has seen a 500% increase in the number of illegal immigrant crossings with a record-setting 213,534 crossings reported in July alone. Nearly another 209,000 individuals illegally crossed the border in August.

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While family units and unaccompanied minors account for roughly 35% of the illegal border crossings, single adults account for more than 64% of those encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). 

Blackburn argued the crisis is no longer a border state issue and said she has received a slew of daily calls from worried constituents.

"This has turned into a debacle," the senator said. "The American people are watching this play out in real time. They are reading some of these Facebook posts and blogs that are being put up by people who live in these border communities."

"What the Biden administration is doing is turning every town into a border town and every state into a border state because the impact of health issues, drugs, gangs – that is having an impact across the board," she added. 

The senator said her constituents are increasingly concerned by the sheer number of illegal immigrants crossing into the U.S. and how cartels are profiting off of the crisis. 

"They are very concerned about security in their community and the impact that an open southern border is having on that community with drugs, with gangs, with not knowing who is in the country or why they are coming in," she said, adding that mothers are the leading voice of concern in her state.

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Texas grabbed the nation’s attention last week with the surge of thousands of Haitian migrants flooding into Del Rio and setting up camp. 

Democrats are also furious with the administration over the continued deportation of migrants who do not qualify for asylum or refugee status, under Title 42.

The contested measure was first established under the Trump administration and allows officials to forego usual immigration proceedings to protect against the spread of COVID-19.

But Blackburn argued that Title 42 is not enough to sustain a secure border and said Trump’s controversial strategy that ended catch and release and enforced a "Remain in Mexico" policy was most effective. 

"They work. We know that they work," she added. 

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told Congress Tuesday he would clear the Del Rio camp within the next 10 days.

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But Blackburn said she is skeptical of the administration’s ability to keep similar situations from recurring. 

"They’ve had an issue with migrants that were under that bridge, they thought they had it under control and then, of course, they did not," the Tennessee Republican said.  "Until they secure that southern border and end illegal crossings, they are going to continue to have this issue." 

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.