Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PFLUGER. Mr. Chair, what an opportunity to have Texans debating Texans. I hope that every Texan from the RGV all the way to Amarillo and from El Paso all the way to Beaumont is listening to this debate because the line is clear.

Chaos and lawlessness or law and order. Which is it going to be?

I do agree with my colleague who just said that the Constitution clearly says this is a Federal issue. I think this is the first thing that we have agreed on. The Constitution does say that. Article IV, Section 4. Joe Biden has abdicated his responsibility.

I have got the numbers from the Del Rio sector right here. Just in Del Rio during FY 23, 347,572 encounters, 144,900 known got-aways, 2,155 criminal arrests, and the gall to say that the Governor of Texas doesn't have the right to protect us when the Federal Government has completely abdicated?

I was in Eagle Pass this week. I wish that my colleagues would have been there. I wish they would have met the young lady from Venezuela who was brutally attacked by the cartels, separated from her husband, kicked in the face multiple times, 30 stitches in her head because of the failed policies.

Texas is the only government that is doing anything about this, and yet they have the gall to say that we don't have the right to defend ourselves when a Venezuelan flag is placed onto the shore of Texas property? In any other time period in history, that would be a declaration of war.

Talk to the troopers. Talk to the State troopers who are down there and see the things that they are going through: The resuscitation of a 4-year-old last week and the week before.

I have had multiple Border Patrol agents tell me that the reason we have 2.3 million people who have entered this country illegally this year is because we have no consequences. There were 2.2 million last year. Every year since Joe Biden has been President, this chaos has gotten worse and worse. Enough is enough.

I am so glad that we are sitting here having a Texas versus Texas debate because I hope that Texans are looking at this for what it is. The reason that this is an issue is because the President of the United States, Secretary Mayorkas, and others throughout the administration on day one in January of 2021 reversed every single policy that worked. No more MPP, no more border wall, and to hear the falsehoods that are coming out of my colleagues about not funding Border Patrol agents? Take a look at H.R. 2. Take a look at what that does to fund more agents, to put more technology into place.

It is time for a shutdown of the southern border, and that is what we are calling on the President to do. This amendment should have said that we are going to reimburse the State of Texas for $5 billion this year and $5 billion last year.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PFLUGER. Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment to block any potential remain in Texas policy.

It appears Democrats are starting to realize the severity of the border crisis. On August 8, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey declared a state of emergency due to an influx of illegal aliens. I think the number was 7,500. The next day, New York City Mayor Eric Adams stated that the illegal alien influx was ``not sustainable'' and would ``destroy New York City.''

All it took for the President to realize there was a crisis at the border was a little complaining from his Democrat donors. They don't mind the border crisis as long as it stays far away from their blue State.

What is the President's solution? Instead of securing the border, the Biden administration is considering instating a remain in Texas policy. You heard that right--not a policy to thwart illegal immigration but one that would punish Texas and force our State to be the sole provider for millions of illegal immigrants crossing our southern border every single year.

Liberal sanctuary cities, like New York, that openly obstruct Federal immigration laws and have policies in place to shield criminals from Immigration and Customs Enforcement should not be immune to the crisis at our collective southern border.

President Biden's remain in Texas policy must remain in the trash can. My amendment ends this administration's attempt to force Texans to bear the brunt of the immigration crisis.

Secure the border and vote ``yes'' on this amendment.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PFLUGER. Madam Chair, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess), my good friend and colleague.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PFLUGER. Madam Chair, I also thank my colleague from Texas on the other side of aisle for bringing up a good point, that we should be thinking about how to remove people who come across illegally.

That is exactly what Border Patrol agents told me just this past weekend when I was in Eagle Pass. Their solution, which was the last solution of the administration, was deportation.

I think my colleague was actually the one on TV about a week ago who said--and I am not necessarily quoting exactly what my colleague said-- until you see the images of people being deported, they are going to continue to come.

I couldn't agree with him more, that those images need to happen because that is the message that we need to send.

So, no, we don't need a remain in Texas policy. We need a remain in Mexico policy. We need to go back to the policies of the previous administration that were working before we had millions of people coming into this country illegally because they know that the border is wide open.

This is a symptom. Let's get to the root cause. Let's send H.R. 2 in the form that we passed it here in the House to the Senate and to the President and secure our border once and for all. Enough is enough.

Madam Chair, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source