Several colleagues and I visited the U.S.-Mexico border to see the situation firsthand. For many months, I’ve seen and heard countless reports about how bad the situation is, but I did not even come close to realizing the full extent of the crisis until I saw it with my own eyes.

On the trip, we met with U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents who gave us a tour of the San Ysidro port of entry and different portions of the nearby border. They briefed us on what an average day is like at the border, and what we heard was unbelievable. Just that morning alone, more than 140 pounds of meth from smugglers attempting to cross the border had been seized by agents at this one port of entry. Agents told us they are absolutely overwhelmed and are unable to stop the flow of drugs, so all they can do is attempt to slow it down and stop some of the trafficking.