Biden's Border Crisis: Arrington Leads Press Conference on States' Constitutional Right to Secure Borders and Protect Citizens

Press Conference

Today, Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19) led a press conference on President Biden's border crisis and H.J. Res. 50, which asserts states' right to repel an invasion and defend their citizens against any "imminent danger," as expressed in the U.S. Constitution.

Attendees included 30 Members of Congress, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, former Homeland Security official and Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, and several South Texas officials.

Rep. Arrington's remarks as drafted

I am honored, proud, and deeply grateful to my colleagues for standing with Texas and their fellow Americans living in border states and for standing up for our states' right to defend its sovereignty, protect its citizens, and enforce the law.

Our immigration enforcement officers and border patrol agents have been disrespected and disempowered by this Administration. They've been overwhelmed by the record number of people and criminal activity crossing the border, and they have been demoralized by the hostility that the Biden Administration has projected onto them and their complete disregard for the law and those who risk their lives to enforce it.

I was at a town hall in Texas where a gentleman made an observation and asked a simple question. He said, "our state is under siege, Congressman. I know this President and his border czar Kamala Harris have no desire or political will to stop it. Isn't there something Texas can do to protect itself and its citizens?"

I gave the best answer I knew, but it was only half the answer. I responded, "immigration laws are a matter of federal jurisdiction, and border security is national security, and therefore, a federal responsibility."

Then, I met Ken Cuccinelli, former Homeland Security official and Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia, who pointed me to the constitutional provisions in Article IV and Article I -- sometimes referred to as the "guarantee clause" or the "invasion clause" and the provision referred to as the "self-defense clause" of the Constitution.

It was clear and explicit; the federal government is obligated to protect every state against an invasion, and when the federal government fails to do so and there is "imminent danger" to the states, then the states have the right to defend themselves and their citizens.

The federal government didn't create the states; the sovereign states of America created the federal government. Before entering into this social compact called the United States of America, whereby states would cede power to a new central government, and to do so, the states required certain assurances or qualifications to this sacred agreement.

One such assurance was an individual's fundamental right to defend himself against threats to his life and liberty. Another was a state's right to defend its citizens against threats to their lives and liberty.

It is clear to any honest and serious person living in this country that the current President of the United States has abdicated his constitutional duty to provide for a common defense and has continually and intentionally failed in his sacred oath to faithfully uphold the laws of the land.

It is also plain and obvious to every American, especially those in border states, that this Administration has surrendered control of our southern border to paramilitary, narco-terrorists drug cartels -- a foreign force more formidable than many nation states, including the government of Mexico.

These highly sophisticated and very organized cartels have seized on this opportunity, aided and abetted by the policies of this Administration to terrorize, poison, and push their criminal organization and violent crimes into and throughout the entire United States which presents an overwhelming and imminent threat to the lives, liberty, and safety of the American people. The clearest and most present danger to our national security and domestic tranquility.

We have introduced a resolution to affirm the aforementioned grievances and assert the clear, constitutional right -- enumerated in Article IV Section 4 and Article I Section 10 of our Constitution -- for states to secure their borders and protect their citizens.

Our resolution, H.J. Res. 50, has garnered support from 70 Members of Congress from 27 states. All of my colleagues standing here with me today agree that states do not have to be passive victims of a failed federal government.

Thank you everyone for joining us.

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