Desmond Calls Out Opponent’s Border Security Hypocrisy: “Too Little, Too Late”

Earlier today, the CA-49 Representative held a press conference calling for federal funding to address boat smuggling incidents off the Southern California coast. Congressional candidate Jim Desmond responded sharply, calling Levin’s sudden concern “a desperate attempt to save face after years of silence and failed leadership.”

“Where was Mike Levin when smuggling incidents surged by 139% between 2020 and 2024?” said Desmond. “There was a broad daylight boat landing in Carlsbad—right in his own backyard—and he said nothing. Now that the politics have shifted, he’s finally pretending to care.”

Desmond, a longtime advocate for border security and public safety, pointed out Levin’s repeated votes against efforts to secure the border and protect local communities:

• Levin voted against the Secure the Border Act, which would have reestablished control over illegal crossings.

• Levin voted against the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act, aimed at cracking down on smugglers who engage in dangerous high-speed chases.

• Levin voted against denouncing the Biden Administration’s disastrous open borders policies.

“Mike Levin has been complicit in the chaos we’re seeing today,” Desmond added. “This isn’t leadership—it’s political damage control. Southern Californians deserve a representative who will secure the border before it becomes a headline, not after.”

Desmond pledged to make border security a top priority in Congress and to stand with law enforcement and Border Patrol agents on the front lines.

Desmond’s campaign for Congress has been endorsed by the National Border Patrol Council, representing over 18,000 Border Patrol agents across the country.