As a member of the Home Committee on Homeland Safety I imagine it’s critically essential to handle the unsustainable humanitarian disaster unfolding at our southern border.
In line with latest reviews, the state of affairs at our southern border stays essential, with apprehensions on the southern border surpassing 200,000 within the month of August alone. Together with over 1 million apprehensions nationwide, CBP brokers have seized practically 600,000 lbs. of unlawful medicine—together with 10,469 lbs. of fentanyl—sufficient to kill each individual within the State of Iowa.
To place this disaster in perspective, President Obama’s Secretary of Homeland Safety, Jeh Johnson, said that in his tenure that 1,000 apprehensions a day was thought of a foul day. We’re at greater than six occasions that now and we proceed to face a world pandemic.
Earlier this month, the DHS Workplace of the Inspector Common referred to as for the Division to enhance COVID-19 detection and prevention measures on the U.S.-Mexico border amid record-setting migrant arrivals.
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To cite immediately from the report: “CBP doesn’t conduct COVID-19 testing for migrants who enter CBP custody and isn’t required to take action.”
The report additional said that: “We advocate DHS reassess its COVID-19 response framework to establish areas for enchancment to mitigate the unfold of COVID-19 whereas balancing its major mission of securing the border.”
As a physician and former Director of the Iowa Division of Public Well being, one of many largest issues we face with this unprecedented inflow of migrants is the specter of new illness transmission and COVID-19 instances, particularly new variants being introduced throughout our borders. I’ve administered vaccines in all 24 counties within the Second District, I perceive the significance of retaining our nation wholesome and we have to proceed to work to fight COVID-19 and any variants which will emerge.
I’ve traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border twice this 12 months. On each journeys, I spoke with the courageous women and men serving in Customs and Border Safety. I noticed firsthand the well being and humanitarian disaster at our southern border processing amenities. As a member of Congress, I imagine it’s our accountability to handle this disaster each for the security of migrants getting into the US, our CBP brokers, and our nation.
