McConnell: Democrats Must Get Serious About Fixing Biden Admin. Border Crisis
‘The goal here is simple: Slow the flow; and stop the catch-and-release asylum system that’s overrunning border communities and blue cities, alike. This crisis isn’t crying out for boatloads of new taxpayer dollars. Just commonsense policy reform.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the southern border crisis:
“It is impossible to ignore the crisis at our southern border that’s erupted on Washington Democrats’ watch:
“Back-to-back record-setting years that saw millions upon millions of illegal arrivals at the border. And historic quantities of fentanyl and other lethal drugs pouring across to decimate American communities.
“Let’s remember where this crisis came from.
“President Biden campaigned on open-borders policies. His message was so compelling that crowds literally showed up at the southern border with his campaign logo on their shirts. As one put it back then, the President had, ‘promised us that everything was going to change.’
“Vice President Harris hit the campaign trail with a refrain of her own. She said ‘Say it loud, say it clear, everyone is welcome here.’ And she called the previous administration’s common-sense border security measures, ‘criminalizing innocent people.’
“Well Mr. President, this is the Administration that canceled commonsense policies like ‘Remain in Mexico,’ shelved DHS resources meant for border wall construction, and abandoned overstretched border enforcement personnel to contend with a tidal wave of mass migration.
“Today, cleaning up this Administration’s mess at the southern border is matter of urgent national security.
“And I’m grateful to the group of Senate Republicans including Senator Lankford, Senator Graham, and Senator Cotton who have been working in good faith on substantive policy reforms to bring the crisis under control.
“The goal here is simple: Slow the flow; and stop the catch-and-release asylum system that’s overrunning border communities and blue cities, alike.
“This crisis isn’t crying out for boatloads of new taxpayer dollars. Just commonsense policy reform.
“Unfortunately, Senate Democrats do not appear ready to admit this reality. They’re apparently not ready to seriously address asylum abuse. And that’s a stance that puts them out of step with even left-leaning governments across the Western world.
“For example, Germany, which is struggling with an asylum case load costing roughly $53 billion dollars, is exploring trusted third country policies to keep asylum seekers outside its borders while their cases are adjudicated.
“Finland is considering closing some crossing points along its borders as Russia weaponizes migrant flows against the West.
“Responsible people everywhere recognize that enforcing sovereign borders isn’t some hand-wringing moral outrage. In fact, what’s outrageous is refusing to do so!
“The American people deserve safe streets, stable prices, and secure borders. These are the fundamental responsibilities of any government. But on all counts, the Biden Administration is failing to deliver.”
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