President Trump is expected to use Tuesday evening's Oval Office address as a way to provide statistics on drugs, criminals and families crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
This comes as the government shutdown enters its 18th day over Trump's refusal to settle for less than the 5 billion needed for the construction of the border wall.
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has previously stated in briefings with lawmakers that figures show 161,000 family units crossed the border in fiscal 2018- a 50 percent increase from the year before.
The administration also says there has been a dramatic spike in illegal drugs on the border, including a 38 percent increase in methamphetamine from fiscal 2017 to 2018, a 22 percent increase in heroin and a 73 percent increase in fentanyl.
Nielsen also cited statistics on the influx of dangerous people crossing the border, including criminals, gang members and suspected terrorists.
Administration reports cite 17,000 adults in 2018 with existing criminal records were arrested at the border, 3,755 known or suspected terrorists were prevented from traveling to or entering the U.S., and 6,000 gang members, including from MS-13, were apprehended at the border.
“I think what’s important here is there’s a real sense of urgency,” Nielsen said in a Monday press briefing. “The crisis is getting worse.”
President Trump will address the nation tonight at 6:00 p.m.
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