Biden’s Border Crisis
Two weeks ago, I joined a congressional delegation for briefings in Arizona regarding the ongoing humanitarian and immigration crisis unfolding along the U.S.-Mexico border. The delegation was led by U.S. Congressman Andy Biggs of Arizona and included several Members of Congress who wanted to learn more and see the border firsthand as policymakers.
Over the course of two full days, we received briefings from the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP), visited the unfinished border wall, and heard directly from landowners and community members whose way of life has been impacted by illegal immigration.
One thing became crystal clear very quickly: Joe Biden’s catch and release immigration policy has dramatically escalated the humanitarian crisis on our southern border. From human trafficking to fentanyl smuggling, there is a real human cost to the Biden Administration’s failure to enforce our nation’s laws and secure our border. The stories we heard along the way were shocking.
Law enforcement told us about how coyotes bring women and children across the border, trafficking and sexually abusing them during the journey.
Over the course of the trip, I saw the border wall that President George W. Bush built. I saw the wall that President Barack Obama built. And I saw the wall that President Donald J. Trump built. And then I saw where President Joe Biden stopped building the wall. There are gaps where people can walk right through them, inviting people from around the world to come here without any regard for our country’s laws.
In fact, I witnessed a family of three Russians get taken into custody while I was at the border. Folks at CBP say they don’t see as many people from Mexico these days. While traveling along the border, I saw personal identification cards from India, Nicaragua, Europe, and other countries just lying on the ground – people from 160 countries are literally walking into the United States because Joe Biden has sent a message that our border is open. One guy who was waiting for CBP ordered a pizza while he waited.
And it’s not just stories – the data reveals the kind of impact that Joe Biden’s rhetoric has had. There is a direct correlation between the Biden Administration’s decision to stop border wall construction and a massive surge in illegal border crossings. CBP reports show that Southwest Land Border Encounters rose from 40,929 in July 2020 to 199,976 in July 2022 – a nearly fivefold increase.
The crisis isn’t just contained to border states – it’s also impacting our communities right here in Nebraska. The fentanyl that’s pouring in from around the world is making its way here. Thankfully, the Nebraska State Patrol and local law enforcement regularly seize stashes of illegal fentanyl, helping to save many lives. Within the first six months of 2022, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) had seized over 150,000 fentanyl laced pills in Nebraska. In spite of this, Nebraska still saw 26 fentanyl overdose deaths in Omaha alone during the same time period. More recently, the DEA has warned about “rainbow fentanyl,” which is appearing as rainbow-colored pills aimed at appealing to young kids. And it’s only going to get worse until we get control of our border.
In addition to securing our border, I also believe that America needs immigration reform—but it needs to be done in a way that puts working Americans first. We cannot reward people who broke the law. I will never support amnesty, voting rights, taxpayer-funded benefits, or a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants. In the coming months, I will continue to work with my colleagues to push back on Joe Biden’s failed immigration policy so that we can protect our communities and keep America safe.
As always, the First Congressional District office team is ready to assist with challenges with federal agencies, military academy nominations, scheduling requests and any other needs you might encounter. You can call 402-438-1598 to get in touch. I look forward to hearing from you.