MICHIGAN, USA — Several Michigan sheriffs joined former president Trump on Tuesday, saying they believe changes need to be made at the border.
From West Michigan, Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott and Allegan County Sheriff Frank Baker both said their counties have been impacted by border issues.
Sheriff Abbott said after crunching numbers in his jail, 40% of inmates in Van Buren County have an out-of-county address. Of that 40%, 10% have an address from Mexico or Guatemala.
The sheriff went on to say that his officials say these people have committed various crimes like violent sex crimes.
He also said border issues have led to an increase in drug problems in his county.
“To go even further on that with the open borders the way they are, when President Trump was in office, our narcotic unit was buying a ball of meth, which is 3.5 ounces of math for 300 to $350. For a ball. As of this past week, a ball is at $85 because the markets flooded by the tons coming across the open borders and semis. And when I say tons, I mean tons. It used to be a thing of the past, or it is a thing of the past folks doing making meth in their in their own residences. They don't do it anymore, because the cartels bring it in by the tons. They're not having to make it inside their residences. Hence, the cheap mount that's going out and the amount that's on the street,” said Abbott.
Allegan County Sheriff Frank Baker said he agrees with both problems and says he is also seeing a growing drug problem in his county.
He said border security is to blame because the amount of meth that is being brought into his county has led to less people making it at their home, and prices of the drug to drop, meaning more people can afford it.
“We used to be known as the meth capital of the world. Jokingly people would say, because of the number of methamphetamine labs that we'd made arrests for. We don't make arrests for methamphetamine labs anymore. I mean, it's a thing of the past, because the illegal drugs that are we're seeing now the crystal methamphetamine is so cheap, as Sheriff Abbott had mentioned, it's cheaper to buy it than it is to make it. So we have a crisis on our hands, and we need help. And part of that help is going to be securing our borders,” said Baker.
Sheriff Baker also mentioned Ruby Garcia’s name during the press conference and said some of his deputies were involved in the arrest of Ortiz Vite.