As a Member of the House Judiciary Committee, I take the responsibility of securing the Southern Border very seriously. In February, our committee traveled to the Southern Border for a field hearing, where we heard directly from law enforcement, hospitals, and local communities on how the border crisis is impacting our nation. The amount of drugs and crime that flow through our Southern Border every day ought to concern every American. Fentanyl has wrought devastating consequences on communities across the country, including in California’s 3rd Congressional District, and has become as the leading cause of death for young adults in the United States. According to the Biden Administration’s own Drug Enforcement Agency, the vast majority of the fentanyl killing tens of thousands of Americans annually is originating south of the border. Securing the Southern Border is paramount to addressing the fentanyl crisis and I was proud to support H.R. 2, the ‘Secure the Border Act,’ which takes significant steps in accomplishing exactly that.
At the Southern Border with my Judiciary Committee colleagues in February 2023
Additionally, California’s sanctuary state law has unleashed completely avoidable tragedy across the state. Over 200 cities, counties, and states across America have defined their jurisdiction as a “sanctuary city” or “sanctuary state,” restricting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Sanctuary policies are designed not to protect all immigrants or even undocumented immigrants, rather, they specifically protect individuals both in this country illegally and who have committed crimes while here. I introduced the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act enacts a nationwide prohibition on these dangerous policies.
Americans know that addressing the crisis at our southern border – the source of much of the fentanyl reaching our communities – must be bipartisan.
I call on President Biden to put partisanship aside and finally work with Congress to fix our border and protect our families.