Republican members of the House Committee on Homeland Security are urging Biden administration officials not to roll back border security or immigration enforcement policies.
In a letter to President Biden, the committee members warn of a surge in encounters at the border at a time when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities are operating at limited capacity because of the global pandemic.
“We implore you to reconsider the policy rollbacks and focus on interagency coordination at the border, honor and build upon international agreements for irregular migration management, and expand temporary holding capacity for migrants that cannot be expelled quickly under Title 42 authority, to immediately address the developing situation,” the members wrote to Biden.
The letter was signed by Reps. John Katko (R-NY), ranking member on the committee, Michael McCaul (R-TX), Clay Higgins (R-LA), and Michael Guest (R-MS).
“If you are, indeed, serious about finding common ground on homeland security issues important to the lives of Americans, let us return to a time—not too long ago—when Democrats joined Republicans in supporting increased funding to secure our border, including physical barriers and other commonsense security and enforcement measures. We would stand ready to work with you in support of strong border security and immigration policies that protect the health, safety, and security of the United States,” concluded the members.