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Congress Must Prioritize Border Security in Budget Showdown

Posted on Tuesday, September 19, 2023
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by Outside Contributor
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By: Dale Wilcox

US Capitol building

Funding for the U.S. government is set to expire at the end of September, and any new budget must include a plan to secure the nation’s besieged southern border.

The current budget fight is the first one to take place since Republicans took control of the House of Representatives during the 2022 midterm elections, and like all budget battles that take place during a period of divided government, it will be messy and compromises will have to be made.

However, it is responsible and reasonable for Congress to draw a line in the sand on immigration, and insist that changes are made before they approve a new budget. That is exactly what 15 members of Congress from the state of Texas—which has born the brunt of the ongoing border crisis—have done, making clear they will not support any budget that allows the status quo to continue at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The members’ demands include increased resources for the military to take on the cartels, and reimbursement for the state of Texas for its Operation Lone Star program, which has sought to mitigate the damage caused by Joe Biden’s anti-border policies.

These demands are perfectly reasonable and Congress must ensure that they are met or exceeded before they approve a budget that will last until next fall. As of October 2022, more than 5.5 million migrants crossed our borders since Biden took office. According to CBP data, that number today is more than 8 million.

This surge of foreign nationals at the southern border is not relenting, and thousands continue to come in every single day. While the executive branch holds much of the power over immigration policy, it is Congress that holds the power of the purse, and they must use it here.

Despite the endless carnage emanating from the southern border that is now straining even far-away major cities, the Biden Administration has been defiant in defense of its failed policies. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has repeatedly lied to Congress and the American people, claiming the border is secure, and shows no concern over the damage his policies have wrought.

Meanwhile, new reporting has revealed that Biden himself is well aware of the failures of his administration, but is content to demure to the anti-border forces in the White House when it comes to policy. The Biden Administration realizes the error of their ways, but they are still pressing ahead with their agenda. The only way to stem the catastrophic security and humanitarian crisis at the southern border is for Congress to withhold funding until certain conditions are met.

Nobody wants to see a protracted government shutdown that could potentially harm working people who have nothing to do with the border crisis. But, the primary function of the federal government is to protect the safety and security of the American people, and that starts with securing the border. A government that refuses to fulfill such a basic responsibility deserves to be starved of funding until it does.

Of course, like everything that takes place in Washington, D.C., this budget showdown will be more driven by political considerations than any sort of constitutional duty. However, even if members of Congress are only concerned with the political consequences of a potential shutdown, they are still on solid ground. Poll after poll has shown that the American people oppose the Biden Administration’s immigration policies, and want to see changes.

An Associated Press poll conducted this summer found that two-thirds of Americans feel the government is not listening to their priorities on the immigration issue, and there are many other data points which corroborate this sentiment. Now is the perfect opportunity for Congress to restore the public’s faith in the government’s ability to fulfill its essential duties. If Congress does its job to ensure the border is secure, and the White House refuses to cooperate, then members of Congress can press forward knowing they have the broad support of the American people.

As Ronald Reagan said: “A nation that cannot control its borders is not a nation.” If the federal government cannot get a handle on the crisis at the border, then all of the fighting taking place over other issues will be rendered meaningless. Congress must give the Biden Administration an ultimatum: Shut down the border or we’ll shut down the government.

Dale L. Wilcox is executive director and general counsel for the Immigration Reform Law Institute, a public interest law firm working to defend the rights and interests of the American people from the negative effects of mass migration.

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Donna
Donna
1 year ago

All of President Trumps border policies need to be reinstated, and BUILD THE DAMN WALL! If the government has to be shut down, so be it.

Alaintha
Alaintha
1 year ago

Thank you Dale for explaining the reason for the “Shutdown Threat”. Personally, I think the Shutdown is a fantastic action by Americans! Further more, many more of us need to call our representatives and tell them we are in Support of such a shutdown!!
This administration has proven to every average American that the Biden/Harris cabinet has every intention of making our Country a tempest in a teapot. They have placed every American family in jeopordy. They have never explained why they opened our borders or why they have no intention of closing them. This administration will fill history as the worst administration in American Politics.
Let us hope that more Americans show support of this action in shutting down the current administration in their tracks if they will not Protect American lives!

Cindy Hayes
Cindy Hayes
1 year ago

Shut our corrupt government down! This is the UN’s IOM migration policy for their One World Government and has been planned for a very long time. Did you see the organization in the Darien Gap?
It is shameful that we don’t see media reporting on the fact that we bleed money to our enemies in the UN. The CCP and OIC (in that order) have been running the UN for at least the last 3-4 years.
Our paid fools are making fools of We the Broke and Abused People.

Rik
Rik
1 year ago

CONGRESS IS A COLOSSAL JOKE! . . .
Until We Have a 2 Term Limit They, Especially Republicans, Seem to Just Go Along to Get Along They’re More Interested in Staying in Power than in “Serving” the People!

JamesP.
JamesP.
1 year ago

The only way to get this president’s attention is if you send a few bus loads of border invaders to to Deleware. Let them camp out on the beaches and in his ritzy hood.

Robert Zuccaro
Robert Zuccaro
1 year ago

If while standing watch on a base or on a ship when I was in the Navy I intentionally allowed ppl not authorized to enter on-board, I’d have been sent to Mast if not outright court-martialed. But this criminal actually believes he’s worthy of re-election!?

Karen
Karen
1 year ago

Shut our borders down. How much more does the American public have to pay for?! The money would be better spent on helping our own people. We need to stand up now and stop this bleeding heart for illegals. They wreak havoc on our society and our economy and yet it still goes on.

A Voter
A Voter
1 year ago

But you just watch. The wet noodle, spineless, smarmy, weaselly republicans will cave once again and deliver almost if not exactly what the communist left demands. You just watch……The excuse they will use is “If we shut down the government we can’t investigate Biden”. You just watch…..

Ty
Ty
1 year ago

True Democrates, if they aren’t empowered to control every aspect of Americans’ lives, they will try to destroy anything and everything around them. There is nothing worse than a Democrate scorned.Like Stalin said during an election in the Soviet Union. “It’s not who votes for you. It’s who is counting the votes.” Where are the verfied ID voting laws to prevent illegal and illegals from voting in our elections. STOP mailing-in voting and close polls at midnight on election day. Give confidence back to the American people that our government is working to protect its people and our Constitutional Rebublic.

Michael Lewis
Michael Lewis
1 year ago

If the Republican House will not hold the line on the budget, I can no longer vote for the Gop in good conscience!

Fred Noel
Fred Noel
1 year ago

kelly.senate.gov/contact/contact-form/
Use this site to contact Mark Kelly. I’ve been requesting that he meets me at the flood gates in the Tucson sector of our Southern Border. These flood gates have been welded open. Mark needs to explain to us face to face and explain exactly why the flood gates are welded open. Kelly’s wife Gabby was a congresswoman from Tucson. He claims to be an Arizona resident.
His office needs to be flooded with requests for Kelly meet us at these flood gates.

spqr
spqr
1 year ago

full amnesty for all immigrants

jim nicholson and kamala harris with bible and rosary behind them about her anti-catholic acts
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