[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 16, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1548-S1549]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                            Border Security

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, we welcome about a million immigrants 
every year. We welcome them because they come here, abiding by our 
laws, and we need immigrants. We have been a welcoming country for a 
long time, but I come to the floor to speak about the ongoing crisis at 
our southern border--a crisis that, I think, this administration 
doesn't want to admit is a crisis. Because of some changes in policy, 
we have that crisis, and that crisis is people entering our country in 
violation of our laws.
  Since taking office, this administration has advanced policies that 
have undermined immigration enforcement. These policies undermine 
efforts to secure our southern border, and they encourage illegal 
immigration into our country. President Biden has signaled that, when 
it comes to immigration that violates our laws, the United States is 
open for business. Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats are doubling down 
on that position this very week. They are working to pass several mass 
amnesty bills that contain no provisions related to securing the 
border.
  It turns out that people are finally paying attention. U.S. Customs 
and Border Protection recently confirmed that it had encountered over 
100,000 migrants attempting to cross the southern border in February--
the first full month of this new administration. That is the highest 
total for the month of February since 2006. News reports are that 
Democrats are blaming Trump's policies for this situation that we are 
in. Yet the number of single adults encountered at the southern border 
was up 175 percent compared to last February. The number of family 
units was up 170 percent, and the number of unaccompanied alien 
children was up 171 percent.
  The Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for 
the care of the unaccompanied children after they arrive in the United 
States, had 7,300 unaccompanied children referrals in February. That is 
the highest number of February referrals in the history of the program.
  As of late last week, Health and Human Services had over 8,500 
unaccompanied children in its facilities.
  As of this past weekend, more than 4,200 were being held by the 
Customs and Border Patrol holding facilities, with nearly 3,000 being 
held past the legal limit of 72 hours.
  These are the ``kids in cages,'' whom many of our Democratic 
colleagues were so outraged about a few years ago, blaming Trump, even 
though the so-called cages were created in the Obama administration, 
just being reused again.
  Curiously, we are not seeing nearly as much outrage now as we saw 
during the Trump episode. Where is our fair and balanced press today?
  Reports emerged late last week that one Border Patrol facility in 
Texas was operating at 729 percent of pandemic capacity. Many minors 
who had been in custody for over 5 days were reportedly able to shower 
only once.
  If this were happening during the Trump administration, our 
Democratic colleagues would be expressing their anger and their outrage 
on any media outlet that they could find. But because this crisis is 
happening as a result of President Biden's policies, we have mostly 
silence.
  President Biden's border crisis reaches beyond just these staggering 
numbers that I have given you. First, it is a humanitarian tragedy--a 
crisis. The Biden administration's policies have incentivized 
unaccompanied children and family units to make an incredibly dangerous 
trip to our southern borders.
  On March 10, Reuters reported that the Mexican Government is worried 
that the Biden administration's asylum policies ``are stoking illegal 
immigration and creating business for organized crime''--from the 
Mexican Government, reported by Reuters.
  There is no doubt that cartels are profiting greatly from this 
trafficking. One Mexican official was quoted as saying: ``Migrants have 
become a commodity.''
  The article went on to discuss how gangs are ``diversifying methods 
of smuggling'' and how smugglers are advising migrants on how to more 
easily apply for asylum in the United States, including by bringing 
children.
  It also described how higher concentrations of migrants in areas near 
the U.S.-Mexican border have encouraged gangs to recruit some migrants 
as drug mules and to kidnap other migrants. For what? For money. This 
is a tragedy, and it is a tragedy created in just recent weeks by 
changes of policies at the border by this new administration.

[[Page S1549]]

  Second, President Biden's border crisis presents a public health 
threat in the middle of a pandemic.
  Recent reports have indicated that the administration plans to turn 
two Texas facilities, where migrant family units are being held, into 
rapid processing centers. The plan is to hold the family units for 3 
days or less.
  It is unclear if all of these migrants are being tested for COVID-19, 
when they are being tested, how they are being tested, and how they are 
being handled if they test positively.
  Recent media reports also indicate that 100 undocumented immigrants 
who were released by the Department of Homeland Security into the 
United States later tested positive for the virus. In these times, as 
we are all concerned about the pandemic, it can't be acceptable.
  Finally, President Biden's border crisis has created a situation that 
is overwhelming the men and women who work to protect our borders. It 
is straining the resources of agencies that must cope with the results 
of this administration's misguided immigration policies.
  One of the most important responsibilities of the Federal Government 
and any Presidential administration, Republican or Democrat, is to 
enforce our immigration laws in ways that ensure the sovereignty of our 
borders, protects the American people, and, lastly, discourages illegal 
immigration. It is clear that this administration has failed to live up 
to this responsibility.
  I hope that President Biden changes course and begins to work with 
Congress in a bipartisan way to secure our borders and, at the same 
time, reform our laws in ways that discourage this violation of our 
immigration laws by people just willy-nilly crossing the border, even 
being invited here. If they instead continue on their present course, 
this will be just the first of many border surges to come over the next 
4 years.
  What we need is to keep our doors open, as we have done for decades 
with legal immigrants, and do everything we can to discourage people 
from coming here in violation of our laws.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Markey). The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senator from Ohio.