Mark Green, RealClearPolitics
Since the beginning of 2021, Americans have watched illegal immigrants stream unchecked across our southwest border. They have read with horror the stories of innocent Americans harmed by illegal immigrants. They have watched their family and friends die after becoming addicted to fentanyl that has been coming through the border. And the Biden-Harris Administration has done almost nothing.
But now, after months of modest declines in apprehensions at ports of entry along the southwest border, the Biden-Harris administration is celebrating a victory. But such premature celebrations ignore the reality that this crisis continues.
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Before explaining why, Americans must understand that even if not a single inadmissible alien crosses the border during the remainder of Biden and Harris’ term, the millions of people they have already allowed into the country have done damage that will take decades to recover from. For many families, like Laken Riley, Rachel Morin, and Jocelyn Nangaray, that damage is Never It will be restored.
But if Biden and Harris want to talk numbers, the president and his “border agents” will not be exonerated. Under their watch, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 10 million encounters An additional 2 million “fugitives” are known to have crossed borders across the country without being caught.
Many on the left like to use the history of Ellis Island as an excuse for mass immigration, despite the fact that these people arrived in accordance with the laws of the time, the number of people who passed through Ellis Island is Approximately 12 million – 62 years from 1892 to 1954.
Since the start of fiscal year 2021, the number of denied entry aliens encountered at the border or who crossed the border without being caught is unprecedented. To claim victory now because of a temporary decrease in border crossings shows willful ignorance of the true nature of this ongoing crisis, because these numbers alone do not tell the full story of what Americans are experiencing.
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First, there are the ongoing economic impacts. As of mid-June 2024, Over 205,000 illegal immigrants Since spring 2022, New York City has seen a large number of foreign nationals arrive. Mayor Eric Adams said these arrivals and the costs associated with them are “It will destroy New York City.Small towns, too, will suffer the consequences of unregulated border crossings for years to come. In Springfield, Ohio, a city of 60,000 people, About 20,000 Haitians arrive Housing and other services have come under huge strain since the crisis began. In Whitewater, Wisconsin, a town of just 15,000 people, Overwhelmed The United States has been hit hard by the arrival of 1,000 illegal immigrants, “often lacking even basic English skills.” As one official in Sanford, Maine, said last year, “We’re short-staffed.” We were overwhelmedThe government has blamed “illegal immigration” after the cost of care for illegal immigrants tripled.
DHS reported More than 80 percent of undocumented immigrants who are “not directly expelled or deported by CBP or continuously detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement” remain in the U.S. after several years. These communities, and thousands like them, will be dealing with these costs for years to come.
Second, consider the public safety impact of what’s happening on the southwest border. Beginning in fiscal year 2021, Border Patrol will arrest 10,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records. More than twice as much From fiscal year 2017 to fiscal year 2020, 10,000 people suspected of criminal or terrorist ties were released into the interior. To make matters worse, people suspected of criminal or terrorist ties continue to be released into the interior. In fact, news recently broke that the Biden-Harris administration has actually released 99 people into the interior. He knew he was on a terrorist watch list.. According to a DHS source, ICE officials have confirmed that “final deportation orders have been issued. Had gang ties“I think that’s the case,” said former ICE field director John Fabbricatore. should not have been allowed on the streets.”
How many more threats to our safety and security have been similarly unwittingly released or entered the country as fugitives? How many more will commit their first crime against an American victim who has never committed or been caught in their home country?
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Finally, despite the recent decline in illegal border crossings, Interval At the port of entry, I encountered a foreigner who was not allowed into the country. in The port of entry is Record highsThe reason is that the administration has devised numerous illegal mass parole programs and encouraged people to enter the country this way. In February 2021, Biden and Harris’ first month in office, CBP recorded just 17,744 encounters at ports nationwide. By July 2024, that number was 110,615. While encouraging would-be border crossers to do so at ports of entry would certainly reduce the embarrassing spectacle of overwhelmed Border Patrol agents and facilities, it ultimately leads to the same results. Unauthorized foreigners are released into the interiorAnd now, one of these mass parole programs is temporarily Shut down due to massive fraud.
This border crisis is not over yet. Not far from it. It’s time for Congress and the American people to say enough is enough.
Rep. Mark E. Green, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, represents Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District.
Distributed with permission From RealClearWire.
