Contact: 
Alexah Rogge 
202-225-6611 
alexah.rogge@mail.house.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Fulcher is continuing legislative efforts to add pressure to a solution for the historic crisis at the southern border. 

In his first 100 days in office, President Biden issued 94 executive actions relating to immigration, including defunding border wall construction and re-implementing the Obama-era “catch and release” policy. These actions, shouldered with campaign rhetoric encouraging illegal immigration, have caused a growing crisis at the southern border.

On March 24th, President Biden appointed Vice President Harris to lead efforts relating to the surge of immigrants at the southern border, but she has yet to visit the border or engage in efforts to reverse the growing crisis. 

Congressman Fulcher joined a letter with 55 other colleagues to remove Vice President Harris from this position, to be replaced by an official who is equipped and motivated to take this situation seriously. 

Congressman Fulcher commented, “The person in charge of the historic border crisis has yet to visit the border or take any significant actions. This is an insult to Americans grappling with the 300% increase in fentanyl coming over the border compared to last year, to the thousands being taken advantage of by cartels to the tune of millions a month, to the unaccompanied children in overflowing camps, and to the rule of law in our country. We all deserve better.”

There have been a record number of unaccompanied children at the border, including more than 14,000 in the month of May alone. It has been reported that 3,000 male children (ages 15-17) had to be moved to a convention center in Dallas to deal with the overflow. Previously, the Administration had opened up a “tent city” outside of Dallas where about 1,000 children, some as young as four years old, are being held.  And, some 4,200 children are currently being held in Customs & Border Patrol (CBP) cells that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has described as “no place for a child;” this was an increase of 1,000 from the previous week.  Finally, leaked HHS reports indicate some children are spending an average of 107 hours in the cells.  A CBS report said one CBP sector in the Rio Grande Valley is operating at 363% of capacity, with more than 2,500 unaccompanied minors in custody.

Congressman Fulcher joined a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Becerra requesting a House briefing on the status of unaccompanied children at the border . This letter was led by Congressman Ralph Norman, who accompanied Rep. Fulcher to the southern border in 2020. 

“The Biden Administration must accept responsibility for deteriorating conditions at the border,” said Congressman Fulcher. “By continuing to duck responsibility, we are kicking the can down the road at a time when unaccompanied minors are facing worsening conditions in detention facilities and our border agents continue to be overwhelmed.” 

The open border and ‘catch and release’ policy being restored from the Obama Administration have also served as a conduit for increased criminal gang, terrorist, drug, and human trafficking activity. In May, Fox News reported that cartels made $14 million a day from trafficking women, children, families, and single adults. Former Tucson Border Patrol Chief Roy Villareal, a 30 year vet of the agency, called trafficking a "multi-billion dollar industry."

Congressman Fulcher cosponsored Congresswoman Herrell’s bill, H.R. 3504, to require the Department of Homeland Security to conduct a more thorough review of these activities for anyone who enters the country illegally. The legislation does so by requiring DHS to conduct more outreach and coordination with other countries’ migration authorities. It also requires DHS to end the policy of “catch and release,” and take additional efforts to check the criminal history more thoroughly of those entering the country illegally. 

Congressman Fulcher commented, “We know this situation is out of control, but we need more information and transparency from Secretary Mayorkas on the crime and drug activity being fostered by this environment. Individuals on the terrorist watch list have successfully entered the country through the southern border, and cartels — bolstered by the trafficking industry — continue to inflict violence which is spreading on both sides of the border.”

With the recent requests from Governors in states bordering the southern U.S. boundaries, Congressman Fulcher cosponsored H. J. Res. 50, which affirms states’ Article 1 Section 10 right to defend against a border incursion or similar  imminent danger. The resolution highlights the Biden Administration’s failure to uphold their Constitutional duty to “faithfully execute” the laws of the land, and as a result have endangered our citizens. H. J. Res. 50 affirms the Article 1 Section 10 right for states to defend themselves when the federal government fails to do so. 

These efforts by Congressman Fulcher join those of Idaho's other federal and state officials. Governor Little recently announced that the State of Idaho is assessing its own resources to assist Texas and Arizona in their efforts to secure the southern border. 

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