As we all know, illegal migration into the United States has reached unprecedented levels since President Biden took office. This administration’s policies have incentivized individuals to make the dangerous journey to our southern border and have put our national security at risk. We have seen shocking images of border patrol agents being brutalized, migrants piling onto trains, and of foreign flags on American soil. Put simply, Joe Biden has purposefully abandoned our southern border.
Biden’s egregious neglect has allowed for more than 7 million illegal crossings at our southern border. House Republicans have witnessed the devastating crisis at hand and passed the Secure the Border Act of 2023 – the strongest border security bill in the history of Congress. However, the Senate and the White House refuse to act. The administration’s open border policies have spiraled into a humanitarian, public health, and national security crisis.
These policies have been especially detrimental for our border states and communities. Most recently, Mayor Rolando Salinas Jr. issued an emergency declaration in Eagle Pass, Texas due to the thousands of immigrants crossing in just the past few days. This has led to overcapacity in Boder Patrol processing tents, often holding over 4,000 migrants in a 1,000-person tent. The overflowing surge of migrants has forced Eagle Pass to temporarily shut down the Union Pacific train traffic between Mexico and Texas. This local international bridge is the busiest gateway between the two countries and a major economic engine for the city.
This administration has incentivized migrants to take the extremely dangerous journey across multiple countries and even continents to our southern border. Last week, a three-year-old boy drowned in the Rio Grande while his family was attempting to enter the U.S. On top of this, the cartel continues to prosper while smuggling individuals across the border to the tune of billions of dollars.
This administration has also made every community more vulnerable to national security threats. Alarm bells were raised with the news that a recent smuggler crossed the border with possible ties to ISIS. This is in addition to the 98 suspects on the terror watchlist who were apprehended in FY 2022. The real question is, how many escaped undetected?
States like Texas have attempted to secure the border on their own. However, The Biden administration continues to make these efforts more difficult. Judges have even challenged Texas’ attempts to use water buoys to stem the tide of illegal immigration. It all comes down to this: the Biden administration’s immigration policies threaten the safety of Americans across the country. This is President Biden’s border crisis, and he must be held accountable. I have signed on to a resolution calling for the impeachment of Sec. Mayorkas and I remain committed to finding ways to secure our southern border.
