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In a stunning admission that has ignited outrage among those advocating for strict immigration enforcement, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas acknowledged before Congress on Tuesday that an alarming number of immigrants—over half a million—have illegally penetrated the southern border in fiscal year 2023. This shocking revelation comes despite previous assurances from Mayorkas that the border was secure under the Biden administration.

Mayorkas, put on the hot seat during the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s annual “Threats to the Homeland” hearing, was grilled by Kansas GOP Sen. Roger Marshall on the extent of “gotaways” – a term used to describe migrants who evade capture after unlawfully entering the U.S. Mayorkas confessed that over 600,000 such instances had been recorded in the last 12 months alone, undermining the narrative of a secure border.

In a staggering contradiction, Mayorkas has repeatedly claimed at least 19 times that the southern border remains secure. However, his assertions have been consistently challenged, particularly in light of a GOP Homeland Security report that detailed approximately 7.5 million illegal immigrant encounters nationwide, with a staggering 6.2 million at the southwest border alone.

Data from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) paints an even grimmer picture, with roughly 2.48 million encounters in FY 2023, marking the highest level in U.S. history and a significant uptick from previous years. Alarmingly, at least 280 individuals among these were flagged on the FBI’s terrorist watchlist over the last three years.

Senator Marshall pointedly criticized Mayorkas, stating, “Americans feel less safe today than they did before the start of this administration, and your testimony has always solidified the view that American people, that they don’t have confidence in the job that you’re doing.”

Echoing this sentiment, Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson demanded answers from Mayorkas regarding the whereabouts of the millions of illegal immigrants released by federal agents, questioning the extent of the government’s oversight and the potential risks to national security.

Mayorkas’s vague response did little to quell concerns, prompting Senator Johnson to press further, “Where do these people reside?” This pressing question reflects a growing sentiment among many Americans that their safety and the integrity of the nation’s borders are being compromised, setting the stage for what could be a defining issue in upcoming elections.