HYDE-SMITH HELPS INTRODUCE BILL REQUIRING BIDEN TO CONTROL SOUTHERN BORDER
Legislation Would Force Administration to Restore & Maintain Operational Control
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, today said she has thrown her support behind legislation to force the Biden administration to restore and maintain control of the southern border.
Hyde-Smith joined U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) in introducing the Comprehensive Southern Border Strategy Act (S.4642), which would give the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 12 months after enactment to produce a comprehensive plan for security at the border.
“Like so much else, it’s clear the Biden administration’s border policies are doing more harm than good,” Hyde-Smith said. “This legislation would force us to acknowledge what’s needed to regain and maintain control of the southern border. The status quo of rampant illegal crossings, drug trafficking, and human smuggling cannot continue for the sake of our nation.”
“The Biden Administration has proven time and time again that they have no strategy for gaining control of our southern border, and it’s time they start showing some leadership and accountability,” said Tillis. “The situation at our border is undeniably a crisis as the cartels continue their human trafficking and their smuggling of illicit drugs like fentanyl into our country. This legislation will ensure that DHS enacts a plan, using every resource available. I am proud to introduce this legislation with my colleagues because the American people deserve to see this administration finally taking control of this chaos.”
S.4642 would require the Homeland Security Secretary to complete a comprehensive strategy to restore and maintain operational control and situational awareness across the entirety of the southern border. The plan must also include a strategy for combatting human smuggling and drug trafficking.
The crisis at our southern border has intensified with President Biden’s failed immigration policies such as rescinding Remain in Mexico, his attempts to dismantle immigration enforcement, and his efforts to end Title 42.
Since President Biden took office, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has had more than 3 million encounters with illegal immigrants at the southern border. In FY2022, CBP has apprehended more than 8,000 criminal aliens, including 50 with convictions for murder and nearly 250 with convictions for sex crimes. CBP also interdicted over 10,700 pounds of fentanyl in 2021 and more than 5,700 pounds so far in 2022–nearly 3.7 billion lethal doses.
U.S. Senators Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and James Inhofe (R-Okla.) also cosponsored the measure. U.S. Representatives Young Kim (R-Calif.) and Michael Guest (R-Miss.) introduced similar legislation (HR.7260) earlier this year.
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