As if we needed any more proof that the border crisis is out of control, these new numbers released by the Department of Homeland Security are literally off the charts. Last month, more than 221,000 people attempted to enter the United States illegally. That’s more than any other month since President Biden took office, and now we’ve experienced 13 straight months with more than 150,000 border encounters.

The Biden administration’s efforts to dismantle the security of our nation’s southern border has resulted in nearly 2.5 million illegal crossings and made communities across the country less safe. That’s why I joined my colleagues this week in demanding DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas take action to secure our border and fix the dangerous policies that enablecartels and human traffickers to exploit this crisis and threaten our national security. 

I also wanted to make sure you knew I  helped pass bipartisan legislation to give Customs and Border Protection the tools they need to combat the use of over 230 underground tunnels between the U.S.-Mexico border that smugglers are using to traffic illegal weapons and deadly drugs like fentanyl into our country. 

The bottom line is that this crisis can only be solved with MORE border security, not less. We cannot afford any more backwards policies allowing a tidal wave of illegal crossings at the southern border. The safety of your family and our communities must come first, and I am committed to holding the president accountable to make sure that happens.