‘…any immigration reform proposal must include policies that strengthen our lawful immigration system and protect our nation’s borders. So far President Biden’s policies do neither.’
‘…what I, and the people of Alabama, will not stand for is a refusal to enforce the laws of today.’
WASHINGTON —U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) today delivered a speech on the Floor of the United States Senate focused on the worsening crisis at the border. In his remarks, Senator Tuberville discussed the impact of President Biden’s unilateral policy rollbacks, cited the unsustainable numbers of migrants flooding across the southwest border, and highlighted two measures we should take to address the growing crisis.
Senator Tuberville also noted he has yet to receive a response from the Secretary of Homeland Security to a letter he sent last month questioning the double standard pertaining to COVID testing for American citizens entering the United States versus migrants illegally crossing the border. Excerpts from his remarks can be found below, and the full speech can be viewed here.
“Americans back home are paying attention. They are watching what’s going on and seeing how it’s getting worse by the day. The saddest thing is that this was predictable and preventable. Protecting our border and cutting down illegal immigration matters to the people of Alabama and the rest of the country.
“Alabamians are law-abiding people. We play by the rules, and we expect others to follow them, too. When people break the rules, they have to face the consequences – plain and simple. That’s how our country should operate. By law and order. Enforcing the laws on our books cannot be optional.”
“President Biden has put forward an immigration proposal that would completely up-end our existing immigration policy and give out American citizenship like its candy. But before that, he made sure to lay the groundwork with executive orders. President Biden quickly reversed many of President Trump’s most successful border control policies with a stroke of his pen, and his Secretary of Homeland Security, whose department oversees immigration policy and border security, has made it clear he’s not interested in enforcing existing laws. We’ve seen the dangerous effects of President Biden’s policies already – and it’s barely been two months.”
“The data shows the number of illegal immigrants trying to cross the southern border is going up during a month when historically apprehensions are low. In fact, the staggering numbers of people arrested crossing the border illegally this January is the most any January has seen in more than a decade.”
“…it is a direct result of President Biden… sending a ‘come one, come all’ signal. President Biden decided to message to the world that our border’s open – we shouldn’t be surprised that people showed up. We all saw this coming. We all warned that reversing President Trump’s policies would lead to a national security and humanitarian crisis.”
“On top of all of this, President Biden’s administration is subjecting American citizens to more stringent standards to enter our country than they are with illegal immigrants… American citizens have to prove they have a negative test to enter the country but illegal immigrants do not. At a time when the virus is on retreat, thanks in part to vaccines developed by President Trump and Operation Warp Speed, we cannot afford to allow thousands upon thousands of illegal immigrants into the country especially without screening for COVID. It is not only a reckless security policy – it is a reckless health policy.”
“President Biden’s policies at the border are reckless. The American people can see it for themselves and the data proves how bad the situation has become in such a quick time. We can and should take positive proactive concrete steps to secure our border and strengthen our national security. There are two big items to address right away.”
“Number one, we should maintain the migrant protections protocol program… It was successful, hugely successful. The number of apprehensions along the border went down when people realized they couldn’t just come walking into the United States. It was exactly the kind of message we want to send: our borders are not wide open. You must follow the rules. You must stay in line.”
“We need to continue building the wall. My constituents expect me to hammer this every day. A strong wall will help prevent illegal migrants crossing over our border between ports of entry and avoid law enforcement.”
“…any immigration reform proposal must include policies that strengthen our lawful immigration system and protect our nation’s borders. So far, President Biden’s policies do neither.”
“What I, and the people of Alabama, will not stand for is a refusal to enforce the laws of today. It puts our country at risk and encourages migrants to seek dangerous paths to enter our country instead of the legal paths provided. Allowing illegal immigration to go unchecked fundamentally undermines the rule of law in this country. Without laws, and without borders where those laws apply, a sovereign nation ceases to exist.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.
