Hillsdale Daily News: Mr. President, time to acknowledge the border crisis
Just months into Joe Biden's presidency, the southern border is overrun. Throughout the Democratic presidential primary, then-candidate Joe Biden foreshadowed the self-made crisis we are now witnessing. Biden called for a surge of asylum seekers to the border, unveiled a far-reaching amnesty plan, and previewed executive actions that weaken border security and incentivize illegal crossings.
Once in office, President Biden's misguided campaign rhetoric turned into reality, dismantling the border security progress of the Trump Administration. Biden through a stroke of a pen immediately issued executive orders that halted construction of the border wall, reinstated Obama-era catch and release policies, and indeed made amnesty the centerpiece of his immigration agenda.
The result?
Last month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents reported more than 100,000 encounters at the southern border. It represents a 173% year-over-year increase, and the highest February total in fifteen years. The number of unaccompanied children crossing the border is similarly skyrocketing at an alarming rate, causing overcrowded shelters, unsafe conditions, and a strain on agency resources.
The surge has continued in March, with encounters once again on pace to exceed the previous month. Border Patrol is so overwhelmed that one CBP facility in Texas was at 729% of its capacity, according to news reports. Additional reporting indicates illegal immigrants are also being released into the United States without a court date and without a guarantee of receiving a COVID-19 test.
What's unfolding is unquestionably a humanitarian, national security, and public health crisis. Yet President Biden refuses to acknowledge that a crisis even exists, let alone take action to solve it. The President has no plans to visit the southern border and is actively trying to stonewall media coverage of the current conditions.
Compounding the problem, the only immigration legislation Speaker Nancy Pelosi has brought up in the House this session ignores the reality on the ground. Instead, she is prioritizing granting amnesty without any attention to border security or enforcement. Taken together, it is a recipe for prolonging an already untenable situation. As the chief Border Patrol agent in the Rio Grande Valley sector recently said, there is "no end in sight."
Throughout our nation's history, America has a proud tradition of welcoming those who want to experience the American Dream, which has enriched our society and communities. However, it must be done the lawful way through the proper channels. We can stay true to this legacy by preserving the rule of law, maintaining an orderly immigration system, and exhibiting fairness to those who play by the rules to enter our country. Unfortunately, under the Biden Administration's lax border policies, that is the opposite of what is happening today.
Despite President Biden's state of denial, the border crisis can all be traced back to his words and deeds. Mr. President, it's time to come to grips with the crisis of your own making. Then let's get serious about solving it.
U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg represents Michigan's 7th District and is a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Education and Labor Committee. This op-ed originally appeared in the April 7 edition of the Hillsdale Daily News.