[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 14, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H1747]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SOUTHERN BORDER CRISIS

  (Mr. MEUSER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MEUSER. Mr. Speaker, over the last few months, the situation at 
our border has evolved into a serious crisis caused by policy changes 
from the Biden administration that have incentivized illegal 
immigration. This is not my opinion; this is the information I received 
firsthand on my recent trip to the border.
  These policy changes include: ending the ``Remain in Mexico'' policy; 
implementing catch and release; and suspension of the portion of title 
42, which allowed for expelling unaccompanied minors. I witnessed 
massively overcrowded rooms, or pods, where many children are being 
held for weeks at a time.
  The enormous influx of illegals has given the drug cartels the 
insidious opportunity to ship drugs into our country, leading to an 
increase in fentanyl smuggling by more than 2,000 percent and illegal 
weapons by more than 100 percent.
  Of grave concern to those I spoke with is the rumor that title 42 
will be fully rescinded by the White House, which would lead, Mr. 
Speaker, to an unmitigated disaster at our border.
  We ask President Biden and Vice President Harris to actually visit 
the border, speak with the agents on the ground, and learn what is 
going on. This is not a Republican or a Democrat issue; this is a 
humanitarian and national security crisis that can be solved.

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