SW Indiana News

U.S. Representative Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-Ind.-08) released the following statement on H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, after it passed out of the House of Representatives afternoon of May 11, 2023. This legislation is a meaningful first step toward securing our southern border and addressing the national security and humanitarian crisis occurring there. 

Title 42 authorities end on May 11, 2023 alongside the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. If this legislation is not quickly enacted, our nation will lose the ability to quickly expel illegal migrants that do not qualify for asylum or other legal methods of entry.  

“Since President Biden’s first day in office, he has been actively advocating for radical open-border policies that have plunged our southern border further into disarray and resulted in what many consider as the worst border crisis in American history. Instead of recognizing failure and reversing course, President Biden and Democrats in Congress have doubled down. The result: 14,000 pounds of fentanyl, dozens of individuals on the terrorist watch list, and over five million illegal immigrants flowing freely over the border and into our country. 

“For years, communities across our southern border have negatively impacted by an unsecured border. Now, due to Biden Administration’s failed border policies, the scale of the national security and humanitarian crisis occurring there is not just overwhelming residents along the border but also threatening those living far away from the crisis. On May 11, 2023, I am proud to support House Republicans’ commonsense bill to address the national security and humanitarian crisis occurring at the southern border and address the multiple levels of failure of this Administration’s border policies,” said Dr. Bucshon.

H.R. 2 would, in part:

• Force the Biden Administration to restart construction of the border wall
• Deploy critical technology to the southern and northern border
• Increase the number of Border Patrol agents and provide bonus pay
• Require transparency regarding illegal crossings from the Department of Homeland Security
• Strengthen current law to protect unaccompanied children from human trafficking
• End the catch and release strategy 
• Strengthen and streamline the asylum process

Additional information and specifics on what this important legislation will accomplish can be found here.

Original source can be found here.