The Heartbreaking Crisis on Our Border
Friends,
There is a heartbreaking crisis on our southern border, and it's getting worse.
In Washington, Nancy Pelosi and the liberals in Congress hide behind a massive wall with razor wire. Yet under President Biden - our border is wide open.
In fact, right now it's easier to walk across our southern border than it is to walk into our U.S. Capitol building. That's wrong.
While the Biden administration refuses to call it a crisis - even as they deploy FEMA to assist at the border - the facts are clear. Illegal border crossings are up 28% since January and 174% from the same time last year. This surge is leading to heartbreaking conditions in border facilities that have reached as high as 729% capacity. Unfortunately, this crisis is entirely self-made.
Some of President Biden's first actions included overturning policies that worked under President Trump, ending border wall construction, halting deportations and reinstating catch and release.
President Biden also promised illegal immigrants free government health care during the campaign and literally encouraged immigrants to "surge to the border" if elected. It is no wonder why we are seeing the tragic and dangerous surge occurring at our border.
In addition to being a humanitarian tragedy, this crisis is also impacting your health. Earlier this month, it was reported that 108 illegal immigrants released by the Biden administration in Texas who had tested positive for COVID-19 also had plans to travel to various states, including North Carolina.
I immediately wrote Governor Cooper urging him to stop these individuals, get them any needed health care, and stand up for the rule of law and your safety.
Unfortunately, the governor did not act. So last week, I led a letter with Congressman Dan Bishop and other Members of our congressional delegation demanding answers from President Biden's Homeland Security Secretary about their policy of releasing COVID-positive migrants. I will continue to hold this administration accountable on this dangerous and hypocritical action.
I believe we should all be working together to address this crisis, care for families legitimately seeking asylum, and stop an influx of illegal immigration that is also putting women and children migrants at greater risk.
However, instead of working to solve the problem and reversing the policies that created this crisis, Washington Democrats passed legislation last week that would make it worse.
On Thursday, they passed two immigration bills that will grant amnesty to roughly 3 million illegal immigrants. These bills would increase budget deficits by $26.3 billion while aliens convicted of 2 misdemeanors like DUIs would still be eligible for amnesty.
Republicans offered an amendment that would ensure gang members are not eligible for benefits - including a pathway to citizenship - however Democrats even rejected this commonsense idea.
These policies only further incentivize illegal immigration and make the problem worse. Additionally, this Biden border crisis is the last thing our country needs just as we are emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Washington Democrat's policy is ‘the border is open and our schools are closed.' But we must do better.
We need to secure our borders and preserve the rule of law. We also need to focus on getting more vaccines to folks, reopening our schools, getting people back to work, and getting all of us back to our normal lives.
I'm committed to standing up for you and your family and staying focused on the issues that matter to you.
Until next week,
Richard Hudson
Member of Congress