A slender Republican majority in the House has successfully garnered support from a growing faction of Democrats in opposition to a Biden administration initiative aiming to utilize federal lands for housing illegal migrants.
Conservative Brief reported on Sunday, December 3, 2023, that six Democrats aligned with Republicans in an effort “to prevent President Joe Biden from turning federal lands into migrant camps for tens of thousands of illegal aliens who have been released into the United States interior.”
The bipartisan coalition, comprising Reps. Henry Cuellar, Don Davis, Jared Golden, Vicente Gonzalez Jr., Mary Peltola, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, came together to pass Rep. Nicole Malliotakis’s legislation, named the “Protecting our Communities from Failure to Secure the Border Act.”
This legislation seeks to curb President Biden’s plans to house illegal aliens on federal lands.
The legislative move gained traction as New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams, both Democrats, obtained approval from the Biden administration to relocate border crossers and illegal aliens to Floyd Bennett Field.
Rep. Malliotakis emphasized the potential negative impact on local communities and taxpayers, asserting that transforming federal parks into migrant encampments is unjust while the city faces financial challenges
The surge in illegal aliens being released into American communities has reached unprecedented levels under the Biden administration.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General estimates that over 60,000 illegal aliens are being released into the U.S. interior monthly, surpassing 720,000 over the course of a year.
This surge has led to increased criticism of President Biden, especially given his earlier commitment in September to enhance border security and construct a new section of the border wall.
In September alone, there were 269,735 migrant encounters, with 218,763 entering illegally by Border Patrol agents. The yearly total for migrants at the southern border for FY 23 reached 2.48 million, exceeding the figures for FY 22 and FY 21.
Notably, the encounters included 18 individuals on the terror watch list between ports of entry, marking a new record and surpassing the combined numbers of the last six fiscal years.
Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller responded to the situation by ordering a surge in personnel and resources to the border to address the high rates of encounters.
He also highlighted an increase in deportation flights back to Venezuela, a significant origin of illegal migrants. Miller emphasized ongoing collaboration with domestic and foreign partners to address migration challenges and enforce consequences under U.S. immigration law.
In response to the escalating situation, Miller announced a supplemental funding request to provide additional resources, including more CBP agents and officers.
The focus is on supporting essential missions such as border and migration management, countering fentanyl, and preventing the entry of dangerous drugs into communities.
The Commissioner underscored CBP’s commitment to remaining vigilant, making operational adjustments as necessary, and upholding consequences under U.S. immigration law.
