Herrell's SHIELD Act Protects Borders From Covid

Press Release

WASHINGTON -- Congresswoman Yvette Herrell (R-NM) has introduced the Securing the Homeland from International Entrants with Life-threatening Diseases (SHIELD) Act, legislation which will preserve America's ability to protect its borders from a surge of COVID-19 cases. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced the Senate version of the bill.

"As Americans struggle to free themselves from the last draconian lockdowns and mandates, the Biden Administration and its allies seek to eliminate Title 42, the public health rule that keeps more cases of Covid from entering our country and starting new outbreaks," said Rep. Herrell. "The SHIELD Act would codify Title 42 and require border officials to promptly return illegal immigrants who threaten to spread the coronavirus."

Customs and Border Protection reported 188,829 encounters at America's southern border in June, the "largest number in a single month in recent history," according to the New York Times. The Rio Grande Valley sector in Texas has seen a 900% increase in COVID-19 cases among illegal immigrants in recent weeks.

"Title 42 has been an integral and extremely successful measure to protect America's borders and our people during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). "If the Biden-Harris policy for open borders is intended to reverse the Trump Administration's success in securing our border, encourage illegal immigration, and create an unprecedented crisis, it's certainly working. As we come out of the COVID-19 global pandemic, we need to continue securing our borders, not throwing open flood gates to people who could carry the deadly virus or its dangerous new variants."

"Title 42 is our last line of defense protecting us from the total collapse of our southern border," said Rep. Brian Babin (TX-36). "The fact that the Biden administration is even considering ending this policy is ludicrous and frankly negligent as we continue in the fight against COVID-19 and a historic border crisis. I'm proud to support the SHIELD Act with my House and Senate colleagues to ensure Title 42 remains securely in place."

"Title 42 is an effective public health measure that has helped reduce the spread of COVID-19 into the United States from outside our borders," said Rep. David Kustoff (TN-8). "As the national security and humanitarian crisis at our southern border continues to escalate under President Joe Biden and his administration, it is important we provide our brave border agents with all the necessary resources and tools they need to be successful. Ultimately, until the pandemic is fully over, border health protections must remain in place."

"Title 42 was ordered by the Trump administration at a time when our nation was in a health crisis," said Rep. Steven Palazzo (MS-4). It allowed our border patrol officers and local law enforcement to use the resources necessary to remove illegal invaders and prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Today, our country is again in crisis; a humanitarian crisis. While hard narcotics and bad actors are flooding into our country, President Biden plans to remove this protection and jeopardize the health and safety of Americans and the men and women defending our border. I'm proud to support the SHIELD Act which defends our law enforcement, protects Americans, and offers solutions to Biden's Border Crisis."

"Every state is a border state now, including Missouri, and we need Title 42 to address the increase of illegal immigrants coming across our border, especially with the Delta variant that has surged across the country," said Rep. Ann Wagner (MO-2).

The SHIELD Act is cosponsored by Rep. Brian Babin, D.D.S. (TX-36), Rep. Kat Cammack (FL-03), Rep. Lance Gooden (TX-05), Rep. Ann Wagner (MO-2), Rep. Jody Hice (GA-10), Rep. Marjorie Greene (GA-14), Rep. Scott DesJarlais, M.D. (TN-04) Rep. Greg Steube (FL-17), Rep. Jeff Duncan (SC-3), Rep. Byron Donalds (FL-19), Rep. Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Rep. Ashley Hinson (IA-01), Rep. Steven M. Palazzo (MS-4), Rep. Beth Van Duyne (TX-24), and Rep. David Kustoff (TN-8).