House Republicans are hammering President Biden after his ex-border patrol chief said he never heard from the commander-in-chief during his tenure (Getty Images)
In an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes" program that aired Sunday, Ortiz accused the Biden administration of "most definitely" sending mixed messages to migrants and said of his own relationship with Biden and Harris: "I’ve never had one conversation with the president or vice president."
"I was the chief of the Border Patrol. I commanded 21,000 people. That’s a problem," he said.
Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, said Biden should’ve had Ortiz "on speed dial."
"It's common sense — talk to the ones with boots on the ground, dealing with the crisis day in and day out. Now, it is clear to the American people that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have never cared about the crisis they have created at the southern border," Weber told Fox News Digital.
US BORDER PATROL SHOOTS, KILLS BANDIT ROBBING MIGRANTS IN CALIFORNIA
Asylum-seeking migrants line up in a makeshift, mountainous campsite to be processed after crossing the border with Mexico, Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, near Jacumba Hot Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)
"This failure illustrates the Biden Administration's lack of respect for our border patrol heroes and an unserious attitude about the national security risk at the southern border," Pfluger told Fox News Digital.
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House Small Business Committee Chairman Roger Williams, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital, "This is just another example of the Biden administration ignoring the deadly invasion at our southern border and lying to the public. Instead of working with those on the frontlines, Biden continues to push open border amnesty policies that put America last."
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on Ortiz’s claims and the resulting House GOP criticism.
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
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