Texas gun store owner says women are buying guns to protect themselves on the border amid spike in violence

A Texas gun store owner has claimed more women are buying weapons in response to the border crisis.

Gary Humphreys, owner of Humphreys' Gun Shop in Del Rio, said he has seen a surge in all kinds of customers.

'Since this border opened up, we're getting new people that never owned guns coming in and buying them with all the crime and stuff that's going on,' he told Fox News Digital.

He added that women are generally purchasing handguns for 'self-protection'.

'Getting a lot of women that never owned a gun before coming in and buying them,' he said.

Texas gun store owner Gary Humphreys claims more women are buying handguns from him in response to the border crisis

Humphreys, a Trump supporter who has owned his store for nearly 50 years, said he has been noting a steady increase in clientele since Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took office.

'People that don't live on the border don't realize what is really happening,' he said.

He described one incident where his front door was broken down, categorizing the situation as 'pretty scary'.

Over the last three years, the border has seen a record eight million migrant crossings.

Several high-profile crimes involving migrants such as the murders of Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray have amplified anxieties about the influx of people into the US.

However, studies have shown that migrants are less likely to commit crimes than native US citizens. 

The topic has become a flash point ahead of the November election, with 'border czar' Harris forced to defend her record. 

The business owner said he has been noting a steady increase in customers since Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took office and blamed their immigration policies

Humphreys has owned his gun shop in Del Rio since 1973 and says he has noted a surge in customers from all demographics

In a CNN interview, she claimed to have reduced migration in parts of the US.

'The root causes work that I did as vice president that I was asked to do by the president has actually resulted in a number of benefits, including historic investments by American businesses in that region,' Harris said.

The number of immigrants coming from that region has actually reduced since we began that work.

The Vice President slammed former President Donald Trump for refusing to support a bipartisan border bill earlier this year.

The store owner, pictured with his wife, said women are purchasing handguns to make themselves feel safer

She vowed to sign it if it comes to her desk as president, however critics have pointed out it does not provide any additional funding for the border wall - a Trump policy Harris previously criticized.

The Democratic hopeful also said she believes there should be 'consequences' for migrants who cross the border illegally.

The comments mark a shift from her previous position on the issue. She previously raised her hand during a Democratic primary debate when asked whether illegally crossing the border should be decriminalized.