Carbondale Reporter

U.S. Rep Mike Bost (R-Carbondale) has spoken out over what he called a crisis at the nation's Southern border after reports that hundreds of thousands of migrants have illegally entered the country in the last two months alone.

According to a report by Fox News that featured its own drone video over the International Bridge in Del Rio, Texas, thousands of migrants are staying at the site after they illegally entered the country and overwhelmed local facilities. The report noted that about 4,200 migrants were waiting under the bridge. 

"August was the second month in a row where we saw over 200,000 illegal border crossings," Bost wrote in a Sept. 16 tweet. "This is a national security and humanitarian crisis; the numbers speak for themselves."

Two days prior to Bost's tweet, Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives hoped to get answers about what's happening at the border and how the Biden Administration is handling it by filing a resolution of inquiry, according to Fox News.

"We want answers, we want them now, and the Democrats in charge of the executive branch are trying to keep truth from the American people," Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said in a statement to Fox News.

Customs and Border Protection confirmed to Fox News that there were more than 200,000 migrant encounters at the Southern border in the last two months. August saw 208,887 encounters which was down slightly from the 212,000 in July. 

Bost, a retired Marine, has also spoken out recently about services available to all service members and veterans.

"To all of our Southern Illinois service embers, veterans, and families of those who served in Afghanistan, we will not forget your sacrifice," Bost wrote in an Aug. 17 tweet that shared information for the Veterans Crisis Line. "If you are struggling right now, know that you are not alone and help is available."

Bost shared the resource after 13 service members were killed in a terrorist attack at a gate of the airport in Kabul just days before the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan.

Bost also reminded people to check on veterans of the war in Afghanistan since they were likely struggle with what transpired.