The president of the National Border Patrol Council is calling out the Biden administration over its border policies as a manhunt continued Monday for an illegal immigrant suspect accused of killing five people.
Brandon Judd joined "Fox & Friends" to discuss how the tragedy, which occurred near Houston, Texas, shows the desperate need for the administration to secure the southern border.
"This is a case that never should have happened. We shouldn't have had this person in the United States in the first place. If we would have done our jobs, if we would have done a better job, this person would not be here. And these deaths would not have occurred."
A Mexican national – reported to be an illegal immigrant – is wanted for the shooting of five neighbors including a young boy.
More than 48 hours after the massacre in Cleveland, outside Houston, authorities are offering an $80,000 reward for information that leads to the capture of Francisco Oropesa.
Neighbors had allegedly asked Oropesa to stop firing his rifle in his yard late Friday so that a baby could sleep. The 38-year-old suspect, who authorities identified from video at the scene and by a Mexican consulate card, then entered the neighboring home and opened fire on five of the 10 people inside, allegedly killing the victims execution-style.
Judd said criminals are "empowered" right now and "law enforcement cannot do what's necessary to protect the American people" Judd said the Biden administration needs to protect American citizens and do what is necessary to keep them safe but instead is doing what the Democratic voter base would prefer.
"They look at what their base wants, and they pander to that rather than doing what's best for this country. If we would simply put the policies in place, we could secure the border tomorrow."
Judd put the blame at the feet of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and cited his strained relationship with Border Patrol.
"How are we supposed to have any respect for him when he's not going to do right by the American people and that's his job?"
Texas DPS Lt. Christopher Olivarez told "Fox & Friends First" Monday that there is a $50,000 reward for information that leads to the suspect's apprehension.
Oropesa was reportedly deported to Mexico multiple times since 2009.
"The direct route would be from Houston to Brownsville and then going into Matamoros [Mexico]. So that's a direct route from Houston, Texas, where you have one of the major corridors that leads to the port of entry here in Brownsville," he told Griff Jenkins.
With the upcoming end of Title 42, Olivarez said Border Patrol will be strained with extra processing and smugglers and criminals will take advantage.
On "America's Newsroom," Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, said the tragic shootings are evidence of the administration's "failed" policies, as authorities do not know who is in the country.
"That's the danger in having an unsecure border. You don't know what's coming over. I get it, most people are coming for economic purposes, but this is where the administration has failed. Instead of giving people a legal route to come over, maybe through work visas or something else, they have doubled down on encouraging people to come over illegally knowing full well nine out of ten people do not qualify for asylum," said Gonzales.
Anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of Oropesa is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI with tips.
Fox News' Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
