Calls on Biden and Harris to sort out immigration
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Invoice Johnson, R-Ohio, was a part of a three-member group of Congressional Republicans from the area who paid a go to to the U.S.- Mexico border this week to focus on what they are saying is a disaster with undocumented immigration.
Johnson, whose southeastern Ohio district covers Lawrence County, made the journey on Wednesday with U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly, of Pennsylvania, and Troy Balderson, of Ohio.
Throughout their tour of the border, the three representatives visited see the U.S. Border Patrol Facility in Donna, Texas, the Well being and Human Companies Delphi Website, a Momentary Outside Processing Website (TOPS), the bodily border wall, and the Hidalgo and Pharr Worldwide Bridges.
In March, the variety of unaccompanied kids encountered by U.S. border authorities reached almost 19,000, the best quantity on report within the third main surge of households and kids from Central America since 2014 beneath each Democratic and Republican administrations.
Johnson mentioned the surge in immigration was because of insurance policies of President Joe Biden.
“Yesterday, I witnessed firsthand the humanitarian, well being, and nationwide safety disaster the Biden Administration has created on our southern border,” he mentioned in a press release on Thursday. “By reversing President Trump’s immigration insurance policies, resembling cancelling the border wall development and reinstating the ‘catch and launch’ coverage, our border patrol brokers have been put in a virtually not possible place.”
Johnson mentioned he spoke with border brokers, who instructed him “with out penalties, migrants will proceed to flood our border at an especially excessive charge.”
Johnson mentioned the border has additionally served to permit unlawful entry for the drug fentanyl, a significant factor within the overdose epidemic.
“The U.S.-Mexico crossing is a significant entry level for this poison that’s spilling into communities throughout Ohio and the nation,” Johnson mentioned, and referred to as on Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to go to the border.
“(They) ought to have visited the border since taking workplace, however I perceive why they haven’t,” Johnson mentioned. “In the event that they go to the border, the White Home Press Corps would go to as nicely… after which nobody will be capable to deny the disaster that we’re coping with. Ignoring the disaster on the southern border won’t make it go away, Mr. President. Come see it for your self…possibly that can compel you to behave.”
Biden raised the difficulty of immigration throughout his handle to a joint session of Congress final month.
“Let’s finish our exhausting warfare over immigration,” Biden mentioned. “For greater than 30 years, politicians have talked about immigration reform, and we’ve achieved nothing about it. It’s time to repair it. On day considered one of my presidency, I saved my dedication and despatched a complete immigration invoice to america Congress. In the event you imagine we have to safe the border, move it, as a result of it has some huge cash for high-tech border safety.”
Biden additionally referred to as on Congress to move a “pathway to citizenship for individuals who have overstayed visas, in addition to others.
“Let’s not less than move what all of us agree on,” Biden mentioned. “ Congress must move laws this 12 months to lastly safe safety for DREAMers – the younger individuals who’ve solely recognized America as their residence, and everlasting safety for immigrants who’re right here on momentary protecting standing who got here from international locations beset by man-made and natural-made violence and disasters, in addition to citizenship for international staff who put meals on our tables.”
— The Related Press contributed to this story.
