In just a few days, Title 42, a measure which allows border agents to automatically turn away migrants without documentation at the border, is set to expire. And when it does, border officials anticipate tens of thousands of migrants per day to come rushing across our southern border, further exacerbating our already unprecedented border crisis. This is unacceptable, and we cannot sit idly by.
The numbers paint a harrowing picture. Since President Biden took office, there have been over 5 million illegal crossings of our southern border, and more than 1.3 million illegal immigrants have evaded apprehension at our southern border. This doesn’t just affect communities along our southern border, but every American community—including Central Washington.
Just last year, over 100,000 people in the United States died from a drug overdose, largely driven by the rampant spread of illicit fentanyl pouring over our southern border at exponential rates. In Washington state, drug overdoses have been increasing at shocking rates and communities across Central Washington have been devastated by the fentanyl crisis. Nationally, drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death for people ages 18-45. It's past time for significant action to be taken to curb the fentanyl crisis facing our nation, and that goes hand-in-hand with securing our southern border.
The Biden Administration is not serious about addressing this worsening crisis or bringing forth real solutions to get it under control, and have only continued to signal they will accept illegal immigrants with open arms. While President Biden recently sent 1,500 troops to the southern border to help mitigate the impending onslaught, this is nothing more than a band-aid on a bullet wound. If that is his only solution, he’s proven beyond a shadow of a doubt this administration does not have any long-term plan to resolve this crisis and protect our communities.
We must deliver common-sense solutions to secure the border, combat illegal immigration, stop illicit fentanyl, and protect our communities. This starts with resuming construction of the border wall while ensuring our Border Patrol agents have the technology and resources they need to secure our border. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: A nation without borders is no nation at all. Physical infrastructure and the modernization of our border technology is needed to meet the challenges of a dynamic border threat environment.
It's also essential we support local law enforcement and Border Patrol agents. U.S. Border Chief Raul Ortiz has stated he needs thousands more agents in order to achieve their mission of securing the border. Many Border Patrol agents have been pulled off the line and away from their primary law enforcement duties to assist with processing illegal aliens in the field, which has led to a major retention challenge under the Biden Administration. Our law enforcement is on the frontlines protecting our nation from the world’s greatest threats, and we must ensure they are supported.
Tackling this border crisis is a central pillar of creating a safe and secure America, and we must act now, before it’s too late.
