GOP mayor of El Paso says claims of a border security crisis 'just hyperbole that's misplaced'



EL PASO, Texas -- El Paso Mayor Dee Margo, a Republican, said Thursday that people are "misinformed" if they believe there's a border security crisis  where criminals are flooding across the U.S.-Mexico border – at least in his city.

"Some of our viewers believe there's a border security crisis, a crisis of criminals entering this country. As mayor of El Paso, just right across the border from Juarez (Mexico), what would you say to those people?" Q13 News' Brandi Kruse asked Margo while on assignment along the southern border.

I'd say "you're misinformed," Margo said. "Come see us. The largest city on the Mexican border. Been here working on both sides as a community for over 400 years. We don't have that at all, and all the stats point to that.

"It's just bad information, just hyperbole that's misplaced."

According to FBI crime statistics, El Paso has some of the lowest rates of violent crime per capita, for cities with a population of over 500,000 residents.

Margo said while he does worry about public safety, he has a number of more pressing concerns about immigration, including the federal government separating families at the border and the uncertainty of the DACA – a program that President Donald Trump rescinded, but courts have allowed to continue for the time being. He said Congress needs to fix the program so "Dreamers" who were brought to the U.S. as children and have contributed to communities like El Paso are allowed to stay.