The Biden administration's handling of the southern border has sparked a national security and humanitarian crisis, with record-breaking illegal crossings reported. Under President Biden, over 6.3 million illegal crossings have occurred, with an additional 1.3 million known "got-aways," not including those who went undetected. The expiration of Title 42, coupled with a lack of increased enforcement, has exacerbated the situation, effectively signaling an open border.
Rather than deterring illegal immigration, the Biden administration's approach focuses on managing the influx of migrants, releasing them into the country without court dates or tracking mechanisms. This strategy prioritizes optics over security, providing a veneer of legality to inadmissible entrants while obscuring the true scale of the crisis from the public.
The consequences extend far beyond border states. The influx of drugs and crime has reached states like Montana and Utah. In 2022, the DEA's Rocky Mountain Division seized enough fentanyl to kill Montana's population five times over. Meanwhile, overdose deaths continue to rise nationwide, fueled by fentanyl from China and cartels. The financial burden on taxpayers is also substantial, with an estimated $162 billion annually spent on services and benefits for illegal immigrants.
In response, House Republicans passed the Secure the Border Act (H.R. 2). This legislation aims to reinstate Trump-era immigration policies, address asylum and parole abuse, combat child exploitation, halt mass illegal immigration, and complete the border wall. The bill represents a crucial step toward restoring order and security to the border, and the GOP urges the Senate to pass it and the President to sign it into law.
