Rep. Grothman Newsletter- Israel and Hamas

What's Ahead

Israel and Hamas.
Border Crisis Update (Photos).
Thank You, Police!
Weekly Roundup.
My Contact Information.

Israel and Hamas

This week, Israel was attacked by Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization based in neighboring Gaza. Since Israel left Gaza in 2005, Hamas has made it their mission to wipe Israel off the map. No country should tolerate a neighbor shooting rockets into its cities to kill civilians, so Israel is justified when they respond. Unfortunately, Hamas is counting on this, so they put innocent Palestinian civilians in harm's way to make Israel look heartless when they retaliate. I stand with Israel and am praying for its citizens.

I don't usually post full press releases, but I think it is important that you see my full, unedited statement on the current situation between Israel and Hamas. This statement was sent to both large and small media outlets in and around Wisconsin's 6th District.

Click the image above to view a larger version

Border Crisis Update

Since Joe Biden took the oath of office, the number of people being encountered by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at our Southern border has skyrocketed. Here is the data compared to the same time last year:

February 2020: 36,687

February 2021: 101,120

March 2020: 34,460

March 2021: 173,348 (a 15-year high for March)

April 2020: 17,106

April 2021: 178,622 (a 20-year high for April)

These increased numbers can be traced back to when President Joe Biden decided to stop construction of the border wall, end the diplomatic agreements initiated by President Trump including terminating the Migrant Protection Protocols where asylum seekers remain in Mexico before their immigration court date, and reinstate failed policies of the past like catch-and-release, which a former head of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says will "facilitate illegal immigration".

You wouldn't have your mechanic diagnose a problem with your car from 2,000 miles away. The same is true with the border crisis. It's hard to grasp the true scope of the crisis until you have seen it firsthand, which is why it is so troubling that neither President Biden nor Vice President Kamala Harris, the appointed Border Czar, has visited the border since they took office.

That is why I made my third trip to the border this year, this time to San Diego and Yuma. We again saw finished and unfinished sections of the border wall system. The photo below is a section of the wall in San Diego. According to CBP, when the border wall system in San Diego was completed, there was a 95 percent drop in attempted illegal crossings. For anyone that says the wall doesn't help CBP agents do their job, point to the success in San Diego.

I want to address is my use of the term "border wall system". A popular statement made by those opposing the wall is that "for every 50-foot wall, there is a 51-foot ladder". That is true, but not a very well-thought-out argument. The border wall is not impenetrable, unscalable, or planted so deep that no one can dig underneath. All these things happen, even at the new sections of wall that President Trump built.

That is why we call it a "border wall system", because the effectiveness of the wall is compounded by the technology, security cameras, roads, and manpower that comes with it. CBP has not abandoned areas of the border where the wall is built. They simply need less people to patrol the same area. Without a wall, CBP tells me that they need two or three agents to patrol each mile. With the wall, they say they need one agent for every two or three miles. This is because if someone does decide to cross into the country illegally, when there is a physical barrier, it takes longer, giving CBP more time to respond. Additionally, the border wall system often has sensors that alert CBP agents when someone is trying to climb over.

So, for anyone who says that walls don't work, you can tell them about the border wall system, how it is effective, and how CBP agents and local law enforcement officials tell me every time I visit that the border wall system works.

National Police Week

This week was National Police Week, where we honored the police officers of Wisconsin's 6th District, and throughout the country. The great men and women of law enforcement deserve our gratitude for their selfless work to protect us. Unfortunately, some Members of Congress are continually disrespectful of them and the work they do. I honor our police officers, especially those who gave their lives in the line of duty.

On Wednesday, I joined my colleagues to speak on the House floor in support of America's police officers, who, with calls to defund police departments, need our support now more than ever.

Weekly Roundup

Congratulations to Austin from Kiel for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout!

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I always enjoy meeting with my fellow alumni from UW Madison to discuss how we can improve higher education. Go Badgers!

Wisconsin's timber industry has been hit particularly hard during COVID-19. My colleagues and I asked U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack why they have not disbursed the relief funds that Congress has authorized.

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Contact Me

As your Congressman, I’m here to serve you. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to my offices in Fond du Lac and Washington. If you enjoyed this newsletter, be sure to forward it to your family and friends so they can stay informed on what I’m doing in Washington and the 6th District, and let them know that they can subscribe by clicking here.

You can also stay up-to-the-minute by following me on Facebook (Congressman Glenn Grothman), Twitter (@RepGrothman) and Instagram (@RepGlennGrothman).

Sincerely,

Glenn Grothman
Member of Congress