Senator Markwayne Mullin Details His Efforts To Free The Five Americans Being Detained In Turks and Caicos

Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin joins Fox Across America With Jimmy Failla to discuss the bicameral congressional delegation he led to Turks and Caicos in an effort to secure the release of five Americans being detained on the islands for accidently having ammunition in their luggage.

“When we got down there, I would say it was almost hostile, very unproductive. And a lot of blame were coming in against us, saying that we should thank them for keeping the contraband from coming into our country. And we tried to negotiate with them. And we said, well, since you don’t want to come to your country, we said, why don’t we fund machines that you would have to scan all the luggage coming into your country? So that way it never gets in there. Because everyone, these people are leaving your country if you scan them coming into your country, the thing is about that if you did that, they would be required to charge America Customs Act because technically they’re still going through customs. So they haven’t been accepted to your country. They refused to do that. They only want to check on going out, which to me says then, okay, if this is what you’re going to do and you’re going to keep your law there, then we’re probably going to have to look at this as a do not travel to Turks and Caicos, which keep in mind here to just some numbers, their economy is driven by tourism. 90% of that tourism comes from the United States. 75% of every home owned in Turks and Caicos is owned by an American. 80% of every bed being slept in at night in Turks and Caicos, in hotels and resorts are Americans 70% of their trade that they import in comes from America. They’re heavily dependent on us. And so if you want us to do business with you, then you’re gonna have to treat us in a fair manner. Now, if I got somebody from the United States, they’re selling drugs or running guns in your country, man, throw them in prison with somebody that thinks they look pretty. I don’t care. This is a total different situation here. We don’t want them being treated different. We just say you can charge them with the Customs Act. It’s there and it’s fair.”