Longtime friend of The Stream Rev. Dr. Samuel Rodriguez recently released a statement in response to the deteriorating condition at the Mexico-U.S. border. We reprint it in its entirety.

The Biden administration is unfortunately continuing a multi-presidential administrative legacy allowing chaos and facilitating humanitarian crises at America’s southern border. President Biden has thus far failed in his commitment to do something different. He has failed to develop a viable plan to protect the citizens of this country and the innocent lives of those men, women and children approaching our border.

To be clear: the President of the United States has himself given a haphazard and de facto green light to human traffickers around the world to apply their profane trade on the dreams of the most vulnerable.

President Biden’s words and actions are now prompting record numbers of migrants to approach our southern border, producing an overwhelming backlog, and all the predictable effects. An application of biblical wisdom is in order: “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?”

Was there was no plan, no study, no analysis, no reform? Just permission?

Former President Obama famously stated that elections have consequences. But policies also have consequences. Biden’s wink and nod has come with dire consequences. It is a dream come true for the coyotes, cartels and human traffickers. The American people and desperate, innocent immigrants are losing — not only their security but often their lives.

It’s over time for the Biden administration to work with Congress to move forward on comprehensive immigration reform that will protect our border, and incorporate advanced technology to vet those seeking entrance to our country. In the meantime, the southern border must be secured, now.

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Rev. Dr. Samuel Rodriguez is president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, executive producer of Breakthrough with 20th Century Fox and author of From Survive to Thrive: Live a Holy, Healed, Healthy, Happy, Humble, Hungry, and Honoring Life (Charisma House). CNN and FOX News have called him “the leader of the Hispanic Evangelical movement” and TIME magazine nominated him among the 100 most influential leaders in America.