Press Releases

Eagle Pass, Texas – Congressman Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) released the following statement today after visiting Texas’ southern border to examine the border crisis:

“There is a crisis at our southern border that is affecting not only Texans, but every American. And, we have an obligation as a nation to address this crisis with urgency and unwavering resolve. I am dedicated to working with my colleagues in Congress to see that operational control over our border is restored quickly. We have an opportunity now, during the appropriations process, to ensure that long-term border security is enhanced. We do not need to miss this opportunity.

“Today I was in Eagle Pass, Texas with several of my colleagues getting an updated, firsthand look at the crisis. During my visit, I had the opportunity to meet with Homeland Security Investigators, Border Patrol Agents, local law enforcement officials, members of the National Guard, and officers with the Texas Department of Public Safety. The firsthand accounts and experiences of those working in the Del Rio sector underscore the failures of the current administration’s policies and the need to correct them immediately. For example, we toured a border processing facility that was built one year ago for a capacity of 1,000 individuals. Today, there were nearly 4,600 in that facility with hundreds more coming every hour.

“Additionally, Homeland Security Investigators informed me that, in the first fiscal year of the Biden Administration, activity along the border was greater than the prior 9 years combined. This past fiscal year individuals from 98 different countries crossed the border in the Del Rio sector, including individuals from 27 countries with ties to terrorism. These statistics reaffirm the obvious conclusion that this is not just a matter of the sovereignty of the United States but a national security matter. Approximately 70% of the apprehensions along the Del Rio sector are single males.

“The unchecked flow of illegal immigrants poses significant threats to national security, strains our resources, and exploits vulnerable individuals. We must work swiftly and decisively to protect the American people from the adverse effects of illegal immigration. As a conservative, I firmly believe that securing our borders is of paramount importance to ensure the safety and well-being of our citizens. I will work diligently for enhanced border security measures, including increased funding for additional personnel, technology, and infrastructure to effectively prevent further illegal border crossings and drug smuggling.”

Background:

Since President Biden took office, over 3.8 million people have entered the United States through our borders. This includes at least 1.5 million people U.S. Customs and Border Protection projects have slipped through our borders undetected as “gotaways.” There have also been 151 people whose names appear on the terror watch list – which is more than all of FY17-FY20 combined. Last year, 98 individuals on the terror watchlist were stopped at the border.

This unprecedent migration surge is a direct result of the Biden Administration’s disastrous immigration policies. During Biden’s first 100 days in office, he issued 94 executive actions on immigration, including halting the construction of the border wall. He also actively decided to make the crisis worse by rescinding the successful Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy for those seeking asylum. The results speak for themselves. Despite what the Biden Administration touts as a great success – the reality is that over 40% of catch-and-release migrants have fully disappeared.

The biggest winners of this humanitarian crisis are the Mexican cartels. Projections show that cartels are making $13 billion a year smuggling illegal immigrants through the southern border. On top of their smuggling efforts, a porous border offers many opportunities for cartels to smuggle illicit drugs – primarily fentanyl – into the United States. Just this year, border patrol has seized 25,600 pounds of fentanyl at the border – which surpasses the FY22 level by over 10,000 pounds. The results are more American lives lost, with over 106,000 dying in 2021 to fentanyl overdoses.

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