“Let‘s be clear about why this crisis is happening. President Biden gambled with Americans’ safety and security… Republicans want border enforcement, border security, and real policy changes to keep our communities safe… The American people don’t have that today…
That must change.”
Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo) spoke today on the Senate Floor about how America’s wide-open Southern Border presents a national security risk that must be addressed in any national security bill that goes to President Biden’s desk.
Excerpts from Sen. Barrasso’s remarks:
“Last week, Senator Schumer put a national security bill on the floor. The problem is, it lacked serious border security policy changes – things that we need in this nation.
“Republicans opposed it because we know that national security starts with border security.
“We will stand firm until serious changes are made.
“Since last week, the scope, scale, and seriousness of the Biden border crisis has accelerated.
“One week ago, an all-time record-high of over 12,000 illegal immigrants crossed the southern border illegally.
“To put that number in perspective, President Obama’s Homeland Security Secretary, Jeh Johnson, said in 2019 that 1,000 encounters a day would overwhelm the system.
“Let‘s be clear about why this crisis is happening. President Biden gambled with Americans’ safety and security.
“The border is now a hotspot for terrorism and trafficking like we’ve never seen before in this country.
“This body heard what FBI Director Christopher Wray told the Judiciary Committee last week.
“Director Wray said, ‘Post October 7, you’ve seen a veritable rogues gallery of terrorist organizations calling for attacks against us.’
“He continued, ‘I see blinking lights everywhere.’
“Were any of the Democrats in this Senate listening to him?
“Director Wray isn’t the only person to warn us that the threat of terrorism aimed against Americans is increasing.
“Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said, ‘We are definitely in a heightened threat environment.’
“President Biden would have us believe that the border is ‘safe, orderly, and humane.’
“I don’t think he’s been there in a long time, because that’s not what I witnessed just a few weeks ago when I went down there with a group of senators.
“The reality? President Biden has created the deadliest, most dangerous, and most disastrous border crisis in our nation’s history.
“Democrats’ definition of ‘border security’ is to expedite illegal entry into our country.
“Illegal immigrants ought to be turned away. Democrats are waving them through in record numbers.
“Why is this happening?
“It is happening because the Biden administration is manipulating the law.
“The administration hides behind terms such as ‘asylum’ and ‘parole’ to process and resettle migrants by the thousands.
“Our laws no longer determine who gets in and who stays. The illegal immigrants themselves do – simply by showing up on our border.
“Joe Biden waves them all though – that’s the policy of the Democrats in this body.
“They utter a few magic words and are released into the country.
“Under President Obama, about 21,000 people per year requested asylum.
“Under President Biden, Border Patrol agents see that same number every two days.
“It’s absolutely preposterous to argue that all of those people qualify for asylum.
“We know they don’t. The American people know it; the president ought to know it. The members of this body ought to know it.
“10,000 illegal crossings per day quickly adds up to 10 million during four years of the Biden administration.
“President Biden is allowing it to happen – and Senate Democrats are encouraging him.
“This administration has turned a notice to appear into a license for illegal immigrants to disappear into the homeland.
“The payment for Biden’s breakdown of law and order is now coming due.
“The blinking lights – as the head of the FBI said – are everywhere.
“If the Senate finally acted to secure our border, America would be safer.
“That is indisputable.
“Where can the Senate start?
“Here’s an idea: let’s fix our broken parole and asylum system.
“Republicans want border enforcement, border security, and real policy changes to keep our communities safe.
“The American people don’t have that today. So it’s no surprise that they’re angry and afraid.
“That must change.
“Real border security is a top national security need.
“Republicans don’t need another record-breaking day to understand that this crisis requires swift, serious, and substantive action.
“Republicans have solutions to make our communities and country safer.
“The president and the Democrats in this body must include these measures in any national security bill. Otherwise, there will not be a national security bill.”
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