WASHINGTON – Heritage Action, a conservative grassroots organization with two million grassroots activists, released a statement from Executive Director Jessica Anderson following the House passage of H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act.
“The House has taken an important step to fulfill their Commitment to America by passing the strongest border security and enforcement package to date. Including strong statutory reforms and enhanced resources for border patrol, the Secure the Border Act would force the Biden administration to enforce the rule of law and protect our communities from dangerous criminals and deadly drugs. This is accomplished through several targeted policies Heritage Action and a coalition of border security experts have fought to include, such as provisions to end the abuse of our asylum system and parole laws, mandate completion of the border wall, provide physical and personnel resources to secure the border, and strengthen immigration enforcement mechanisms.
Heritage Action issued a ‘YES’ key vote on H.R. 2, encouraging all Representatives to follow through on their promises to take meaningful action to secure the border. We commend House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for working with all Republicans to secure our borders and pass H.R. 2. Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-Tenn.) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) played key roles in crafting and advancing this flagship package in response to the worst border crisis in American history. Instead of further enabling a self-inflicted crisis, the Senate must immediately bring up this bill for consideration. As illegal crossings continue to hit new historic highs, crime continues to spike, and fentanyl continues to claim the lives of young Americans, the American people are now looking to their elected leaders in the Senate to restore safety and security and end Biden’s Border Crisis once and for all.”
BACKGROUND:
The Heritage Foundation: Border Coalition Urges Swift Passage of Historic Proposal to End Border Crisis, Reduce Illegal Immigration
The Heritage Foundation: New Border Security Coalition Provides Congress With Roadmap to End Biden Border Crisis, Reduce Illegal Immigration
You can find the text of the key vote here or below:
KEY VOTE: “YES” on the Secure the Border Act (H.R. 2)
Heritage Action supports Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) and Rep. Tom McClintock’s (R-Calif.) Secure the Border Act (H.R. 2) and will include it as a key vote on our legislative scorecard.
The Secure the Border Act represents the strongest and most consequential border security and immigration enforcement legislation to date—fulfilling key promises made by Republicans in their 2022 Commitment to America to keep our cities safe and regain control of the southern border. 95 percent of Republicans and 79 percent of Independents in battleground districts say “Republicans need to follow through on their promises and vote on meaningful legislation” to address “the southern border crisis.” This critical legislation includes targeted policies to end the abuse of our asylum system and parole laws, mandates completion of the border wall, provides physical and personnel resources to secure the border, and strengthens immigration enforcement mechanisms.
For more than two years, the Biden administration has shifted federal agencies and personnel away from enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws and toward a practice of encouraging and incentivizing illegal migration by catching and releasing millions of illegal aliens into the country. Migrant encounters at the US-Mexico border have broken monthly records across much of President Biden’s tenure and will continue until loopholes are closed—Congress must act and take the first step to reform our border security laws.
Biden’s policy agenda endangers U.S. citizens and legal immigrants alike, defies federal law, and abuses taxpayer dollars. To address this border and humanitarian crisis, Congress must reclaim its authority from the misguided, neglected, and illegal enforcement practices used by the executive branch. H.R. 2 does this by including key statutory reforms authored and debated by members across the conference through regular order and multiple committees.
The bill is a historic rejection of Biden’s lawlessness. It would end the inhumane catch and release practices of the Biden administration, prevent the exploitation of unaccompanied alien children, and curb the fraudulent abuse of asylum claims. This legislation would also mandate complete construction of the border wall—accompanied by additional support for Border Patrol agents— to stop the influx of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs into the United States. The bill reduces the strain on our immigration system by ensuring that illegal immigrants may be returned to or made to remain in Mexico, known as Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), while awaiting their legal proceedings. Finally, it cuts off funds for non-governmental organizations that are being misused to process and transport illegal aliens into U.S. communities and codifies E-Verify to ensure a legal workforce. Together, these policies will restore the rule of law and the integrity of our immigration system.
While the Biden administration is actively circumventing federal laws aimed at keeping our communities safe, Congress must respond by addressing the weaknesses in existing law that allow them to do so. H.R. 2 advances lasting reforms to secure our southern border and end the immigration crisis.
Heritage Action supports Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) and Rep. Tom McClintock’s (R-Calif.) Secure the Border Act (H.R. 2) and will include it as a key vote on our legislative scorecard.