FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chairman Green with House GOP Leadership: Trump's Border Security Success "Will be Short-Lived" if Congress Fails to Advance Reconciliation Package
WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Today, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) delivered the following remarks at a press conference with House Republican leadership, in which he outlined the “generational” border security wins in the “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act,” which were first advanced out of the Committee last month.
Watch his full remarks here and read highlights below.
“Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Alejandro Mayorkas’ reckless disregard for the rule of law created a historic border crisis. Under the Biden and Harris administration, 13 million inadmissible aliens poured into our country, overwhelming Border Patrol and CBP officers, wasting billions of taxpayer dollars and, of course, throwing many of our communities into chaos. Illegal gang activity, the influx of fentanyl––you’ve heard us talk about it before…After four years the American people were sick of it; they’re tired of it. And, of course, they gave Republicans the trifecta because we put them first.
“As of April, Southwest border encounters were down over 90 percent, and that’s down from the lowest point in the previous administration…That’s because of the actions of this president, who delivered on his promise to secure the border and enforce our laws. But if Congress fails to act, this success will be short-lived.
“I’m proud of the Committee on Homeland Security’s work to include commonsense border security legislation that is a generational opportunity to actually secure our border. We’ve tried so many times in the past, now we will codify these executive actions, and we will do our job in Congress and resource this effort.
“Seven billion dollars to recruit and train new border agents, billions of dollars to fix, to build the wall––and it’s high-tech, lights, cameras, access to observe. Five billion [dollars] in technology enhancements…We’re going to expand Operation Stone Garden––those grants for those states that actually work with the Department of Homeland Security to secure our border––all in this bill. All because the American people said: enough is enough. And all because they elected Donald Trump and a Republican Congress.”
Background:
Last month, the Committee advanced budget reconciliation recommendations to provide the resources to complete the border barrier system, enhance the technology at our borders, and hire, train, and retain U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel.
This week, Chairman Green, Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement Chairman Michael Guest (R-MS), and Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence Chairman August Pfluger (R-TX) highlighted for The Daily Signal and the Washington Reporter the importance of providing the necessary resources for President Trump to continue securing our borders for years to come.
Chairman Green published an op-ed for RealClearPolitics, Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO) penned an op-ed for Newsweek, and Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) penned an op-ed for the Washington Examiner, discussing the urgent need for Congress to provide this funding.
It is vital that Congress ensure funding to make President Trump’s successful policies permanent, because they are working. Last week, the House Committee on Homeland Security released its newest “Border Brief” factsheet, detailing the April CBP data. Last month, Southwest border apprehensions dropped 93%, and nationwide border encounters dropped 88% compared to April 2024.
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