[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 26 (Monday, February 11, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H1508]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            BORDER SECURITY

  (Mr. ARMSTRONG asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ARMSTRONG. Mr. Speaker, sheriffs from across the country are in 
D.C. this week, and they have a simple message for Congress: Secure the 
border.
  These sheriffs know that border security will help stem the flow of 
illegal drugs and human trafficking which affect communities all across 
the country.
  The sheriffs warn that a new demand from my colleagues across the 
aisle could mean over 8,000 criminals would have to be released by 
authorities.
  They wrote: ``This dangerous Congressional proposal not only 
jeopardizes the risk of our national security, but hinders our law 
enforcement officers from effectively enforcing and upholding the law 
and protecting their communities.''
  In other words, this demand does not make our country safer.
  We need to empower law enforcement to hold criminal aliens, when 
appropriate, to protect our communities. The last thing we should do is 
release dangerous criminals from custody.
  I urge negotiators to come to an agreement to secure our border, 
build the wall--a barrier, a fence, a partition, a panel. I am less 
interested in semantics and more interested in supporting the law 
enforcement officers who are on the front lines every day protecting 
our communities.

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