Lawmakers express DHS, CBP southern border concerns

A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding southern border protection concerns.

U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) joined nine colleagues in signing off on the letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus.

“We write to express grave concern regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) failure to fulfill their mission and protect our borders,” the legislators wrote. “As you both are aware, DHS and CBP are entrusted with the crucial mission of protecting our borders from weapons, drugs, and contraband and ensuring a regulated immigration system. Yet, contrary to your stated missions and refusal to secure our border, we now face record-breaking illegal border crossings, a humanitarian crisis, and rampant drug trafficking and human trafficking.”

The lawmakers maintain DHS has a $183.57 billion budget for FY 2023, adding DHS receives $25.74 billion of that amount.

“It is our understanding that these funds are to be used to combat myriad threats like smuggling, illegal migration, and terrorism,” the legislators concluded. “Clearly, given the data, the agency is failing to fulfill its mission; we are still seeing record-breaking flows of illegal drugs like illicit fentanyl and migrants with no end in sight.”

The lawmakers ended the letter with a series of questions related to the allocation of resources and plans of action to address the concerns, seeking responses by Oct. 21, 2022.