Lawmaker Leads the Fight Against House Democrats’ Efforts to Stop Wall Construction
Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Alabama, a ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, is leading the GOP against the Democrats latest attack on immigration enforcement. Although the leftist sponsors and supporters attempt to sound as if the legislation is a big help for national security, H.R. 1232 would actually make it much more difficult to build new barriers and roads at the U.S. border with Mexico.
“We must control the flow of illegal immigrants and stop the influx of community-destroying drugs across our southwest “I oppose this bill. In fact, before leaving the Department of Homeland security, Secretary [Kristjen] Nielsen appeared before our committee to explain in very stark terms the growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southwest border [which] we cannot ignore,” said the 60-year-old lawmaker.
“We all heard how family apprehensions in Fiscal Year 2019 are more than 800 percent higher than FY2013. We heard how massive groups are overwhelming U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents’ ability to process, house, and provide care for migrants. We heard how smugglers and traffickers are brutalizing women and children as they lead them across deserts controlled by drug cartels. We heard how gangs and cartels are bringing hundreds of thousands of pounds of drugs into our country.”
Rep Rogers continued: “And, contrary to what some say, we learned that CBP actually seizes more pounds of drugs BETWEEN ports of entry than AT ports of entry.”
“Mr. Chairman, we must control the flow of illegal immigrants and stop the influx of community-destroying drugs across our southwest border. The only way to do that is to secure our border.”
Rogers believes the United States needs an ‘all-of-the-above’ approach to border security that includes manpower, state-of-the-art technology, and barriers. “We know this approach works. In areas where we have built barriers, illegal traffic has plummeted. We need to build on this success, not impede it.”
“Rather than scoring political points with messaging bills, I encourage my colleagues to push for productive legislation to address the changing dynamics I have just described. I cannot support this bill, and I hope my colleagues will join me in voting ‘no.,’” Rogers urged.
