Page 14 - LIN_February_2024_web-version

From the Desk of
Representative Byron Donalds

The Time Is Now To Pass H.R. 2

by Congressman Byron Donalds
ust over three years ago, on a cold January In no world should CBP be outnumbered 200:1, and in no world
day in 2021, President Joe Biden stood on should U.S. Air Marshals and Bureau of Prisons officials be forced to
Jthe steps of the United States Capitol, leave their posts to aid in the transport of illegal aliens into our country.
swore an oath to defend our nation, and Supposed Democratic “sanctuary cities” like New York City and Chicago–
was inaugurated as the forty-sixth President which for years have committed to sheltering illegal aliens–are now so
of the United States. Mere hours later, his first overwhelmed by the never-ending influx of people, that their mayors
presidential actions would go down as some have repeatedly begged the Biden administration for action on national
of the most short-sighted and consequential television.
decisions in American history. Upon assuming our majority in 2023, House Republicans took action.
Surrounded by his top advisors, Joe Biden On May 11, 2023, we passed our solution to the border crisis, H.R. 2 –
proudly smiled as he signed various Presidential Executive Orders to “The Secure the Border Act of 2023.” This multifaceted bill both secures
ensure a near complete reversal of the preceding Trump administration’s the border and combats illegal immigration. H.R. 2 includes provisions
successful border security policy platform. For years, Democratic to: (1.) Force the Biden administration to restart construction of the
politicians across America vigorously campaigned on creating a borderless, border wall, (2.) Deploy technology to both the Southern and Northern
open society, called any attempt to install physical barriers at the Southern borders, (3.) Increase the number of Border Patrol agents and provide
border “racist,” and outrageously attributed DHS holding facilities bonus pay, (4.) Require transparency regarding illegal crossings from the
to “Nazi concentration camps.” After years of this overly-politicized Department of Homeland Security, (5.) Strengthen current law to protect
and inflammatory rhetoric, it was time for Joe Biden and his new unaccompanied children from human trafficking, (6.) End catch and
administration to put-up or shut up. release, (7.) End abuse of executive immigration authority, (8.) Strengthen
What subsequently occurred as a result of these policy changes, and and streamline the asylum process.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’s Disgracefully, for hundreds of days since, as the border crisis has
shocking and unprecedented lack of will to enforce immigration laws still continued to worsen, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and
on the books, can only be described as one of the worst humanitarian and Senate Democrats refuse to even consider our commonsense proposal.
national security crises in our country’s history. Since Joe Biden became Problems necessitate action and we proposed an evidence-based solution
president, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) has encountered an backed with years of successful data from the Trump administration.
invasion of over 7,500,000 illegal aliens, while officials have tracked Instead of defending our sovereignty, Senate Democrats would rather bury
an additional 1,700,000 unvetted “gotaways.” Moreover, the Biden their heads in the sand and ignore this epic disaster of their own accord.
administration’s disastrous mishandling of our border has exacerbated the The situation at our Southern border is untenable and it worsens by
scourge of human trafficking and has worsened the opioid epidemic that the day as we continue to reach new record highs in nearly every tracked
is indiscriminately ravaging every community across America. Violent statistic. Now more than ever, it is time for the Senate to pass H.R. 2 and
Mexican drug cartels have even seized operational control over portions of restore law and order to our great nation.
the Southern border.

CONTACT MY OFFICE

Collier County Office Washington, DC Office
3299 Tamiami Trail East, Suite 105, Naples, FL 34112 1719 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 239.252.6225 Phone: 202.225.2536

14 Life in Naples | February 2024