Hal Rogers comments on the "Secure the Border Act"

May 12—According to the office of Congressman Hal Rogers, the United States House of Representatives passed the Secure the Border Act (H.R. 2).

The passing of this act is in anticipation of the expiration of Title 42 which enabled the expulsion of primarily Latino immigrants who were from countries that were deemed at risk of spreading COVID by the Surgeon General. The purpose of H.R. 2 is to ramp up aggressive action against undocumented immigrants attempting to cross the border separating the United States and Mexico.

According to the press release, the act, if ratified into law, will see a bolstering of the number of border patrol agents and "deploy better technology." It will also require a resumption of construction of the border wall.

Rogers says H.R. 2 will "end the Biden Administration's catch and release policy that sends busloads of immigrants into our states with little to no tracking."

Congress.gov also lists changes to the act as:

* Allowing implementation of Operation Stonegarden: a grant allowing for increased law enforcement funding for "certain border security operations;"

* Preventing the Department of Homeland Security from processing migrants arriving between ports of entry;

* Limiting eligibility for migrants seeking asylum in the U.S;

* Allowing law enforcement to transport migrants to a country other than where they are a citizen of or where they previously lived;

* Expanding the types of crimes that may make an individual ineligible for asylum;

* Authorizing the DHS to suspend the introduction of migrants at an international border if DHS determines that the suspension is necessary to achieve operational control of that border;

* Prohibiting states from requiring a license to detain children;

* Authorizing immigration officers to permit an unaccompanied child to withdraw their application for admission into the United States even if the child is unable to make an independent decision to withdraw the application;

* Harshening the punishment for staying longer than a visa allows;

* And requiring the DHS to create an electronic employment eligibility confirmation system modeled after the E-Verify system and requires all employers to use the system.

"The legislation aims to stop the surge of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs now flooding into the United States," continued Rogers's press release. "We have a humanitarian crisis at the southern border that is only going to get worse without action from this Congress and the Biden Administration. Not only have there been more than five million illegal crossings on President Biden's watch, but the New York Times reports that this administration has lost track of over 85,000 children, increasing their risk of becoming victims of human trafficking."

Rogers also says in the press release that the purpose of these increased security measures are to make Americans "feel safer."

Continues the press release, "The border crisis impacts every state as more illicit opioids, like fentanyl, pour into the U.S. from Mexico. In fact, fentanyl overdoses are now the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 49.

Rogers also claims, "Customs and Border Protection agents are now encountering higher rates of terrorist suspects as well, stopping more than 150 from crossing into the United States last year alone."

Legislation will now move to the senate.