NC Georgia News

U.S. Representative Drew Ferguson (R-GA) recently joined his fellow House Republicans, led by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), in advocating for enhanced border security. They attribute the current surge in illegal crossings to President Biden's policies. The House GOP is actively pushing for the passage of the Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2), a bill that proposes measures such as expanded wall construction and restrictions on asylum eligibility.

In a statement made by Ferguson, he asserted, "House Republicans remain committed to securing our border and stopping the historic crisis Biden created." He further urged Senate Democrats to take action, stating, "It’s past time for Senate Dems to protect American communities and pass H.R. 2 - a strong and sensible border security bill."

According to a post by House Republicans, Johnson also expressed his concerns about the situation at the border: "Last month alone, we saw the most illegal crossings in recorded history. It is an unmitigated disaster, a catastrophe. And what's more tragic is that it's a disaster of the President's own design."

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As detailed on congress.gov, the Secure the Border Act of 2023 seeks to amend asylum policies and bolster border protection measures. The proposed changes include expanding criteria barring asylum applications for those passing through multiple countries, strengthening standards for credible fear in persecution cases, broadening crimes disqualifying asylum seekers, imposing fees for asylum applications, and tightening refugee eligibility criteria. The bill also aims to expedite asylum application processes for certain groups and enforce stricter removal and detention mandates.

Furthermore, H.R. 2 proposes expanded expedited removal for those unlawfully present and mandates detention for select individuals awaiting asylum or subject to expedited removal. It grants authority to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to suspend entry at international borders for specific non-U.S. nationals with an aim towards achieving operational control while reinstating Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities operational before January 20, 2021. The bill also addresses uncontrolled migration in the Western Hemisphere, establishes detention guidelines for alien children, tightens Special Immigrant Juvenile visa eligibility, and increases penalties for unlawful entry and visa overstays.

Fox News reports that in FY 23, over 2.4 million migrants were encountered, with officials releasing approximately 5,000 daily into the U.S. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed that "above 85%" of encountered migrants are being released into the U.S. interior. In December 2023 alone, there were more than 300,000 migrant encounters at the southern border.