Homeland Security Republicans highlight border humanitarian, public health concerns

Homeland Security Republicans have released a fact sheet highlighting how the border humanitarian and public health circumstance has intensified under the Biden administration.

Rep. John Katko (R-NY), ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, and colleagues indicated Homeland Security Republicans have warned of a surge in border encounters and encouraged the Biden Administration to reconsider policy rollbacks.

Homeland Security Republicans also noted an increasing number of Democrats share concerns regarding the impact President Biden’s policies are having on border communities and the ability to manage the influx of border migrants.

Before Election Day, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was encountering less than 500 family units per week attempting to cross the border illegally, but the numbers indicated that number has increased to nearly 2,500 family units per week; Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) overflow facilities are expected to reach capacity this month as more migrants surge across the southwest border; hundreds of border patrol agents are being diverted from the northern and coastal borders to the Rio Grande Valley sector to respond to the southwest border; and individuals being re-processed south of the border by international organizations will soon be released into U.S. communities as they get added to the one million-plus immigration court backlog.

Homeland Security Republicans noted the delegation is willing to work across party lines to advance border security policies as a means of protecting the nation’s health, safety, and security.