Column: Biden's Border Crisis Firsthand

Statement

There is no denying a crisis on our Southern Border exists, unless you're President Joe Biden and his Border Czar Kamala Harris. Only five months into 2021, border patrol experienced 929,868 encounters with illegal migrants crossing our southern border. To put this massive number into perspective, there were only 458,088 encounters in all of 2020. This significant increase shows how the Biden administration's immigration policies are failing. The humanitarian, public health, and national security crisis worsens with each day, without any proposed path from the President to properly address the problem at hand.

This week I joined my Republican colleagues, President Trump, and Governor Abbott in McAllen, TX-- if the American people saw what we did, they'd be shocked, disturbed, and saddened. As former Texas Secretary of State, I recognize that decades of failed policies have contributed to the current state of our southern border, but never has there been such an abdication of duty like we've seen from President Biden. The lack of resources for law enforcement to do their job and an administration that undermines their responsibilities to keep the American people safe is truly alarming. It should worry every American, whether you live in a border state or not, that Biden's policies have encouraged human trafficking, the illicit drug trade, and ceded ground to cartels and smugglers.

After meeting with border patrol agents who experience this crisis every day, it is clear that they lack the necessary tools and manpower to do their job. The overwhelming volume of migrants that are being processed hinders their ability to enforce the law. Rather than pursue realistic solutions, President Biden chose to reverse the successful Trump administration policies. President Trump was right in ending catch and release, building the wall, and enacting the "remain in Mexico" policy -- all of which President Biden reversed on his first day in office. President Trump's comments on the border this week reminded all of us that his compassion for our law enforcement professionals and to the communities affected by the surge in illegal crossings did not end when he left the White House. His presence sent a message to all Americans that our border is under attack and if we don't act now, we will deal with the consequences for years to come.

Texans want a secure border, Americans want a secure border, and ineffective policies that encourage illegal migration and cede operational control of the border to cartels and human traffickers hurts our communities and most vulnerable citizens. I will continue to work alongside my republican colleagues to provide the necessary resources to secure the border and empower our law enforcement agents who put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe.

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