As a record number of people are pouring through the southwest border in what is believed to be the greatest number of illegal border crossings in U.S. history this month, the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security released the latest transcripts of interviews it conducted with Border Patrol chiefs as part of its year-long investigation into U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, building its case to impeach him. The interviews were conducted between April and September, prior to the unprecedented surges occurring in Arizona and Texas.

The interviews “confirm the historic crisis at the Southwest border has affected the operations of Border Patrol agents in the field and limited their ability to conduct their homeland security mission, leading to more gotaways and the increased risk these individuals represent, as well as more drugs being smuggled by the criminal cartels across the border,” committee chairman U.S. Rep. Mark Green, MD, R-Tenn., said.

This is the fourth report on the transcripts, highlighting Arizona chiefs’ testimony. The first report covered how “illegal aliens are spreading the word the border is open.” The second covered the issue of agents being reassigned to process and release “illegal aliens into the country rather than patrolling the border between ports of entry.” The third addressed challenges facing California agents.