[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 101 (Thursday, June 10, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S4026]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                            Border Security

  Mr. President, now on one final matter, the latest data from Customs 
and Border Protection show that the current fiscal year has seen the 
highest number of migrant apprehensions since 2006. Let me say that 
again. We are 8 months into fiscal year 2021, but the CBP has already 
apprehended more migrants at our southern border than in any full year 
since 2006.
  It is hard to overstate the humanitarian and security crisis that has 
unfolded this year. Monthly arrivals of unaccompanied minors reached 
their highest levels on record. Higher border traffic concealed an 
alarming rise of flows of deadly drugs like fentanyl. CBP recently 
announced its apprehensions even included individuals who are on the 
terrorist watch list.
  The origins of this crisis are certainly not a mystery. The Democrats 
who have spent the last few months in the White House focusing on what 
to call it instead of how to fix it are the same Democrats who spent 
last year sending potential migrants dangerous mixed signals from the 
campaign trail: ``You want to flee. . . . you should come.'' That was 
future President Biden. ``No . . . they should not be deported.'' That 
was then-Senator Kamala Harris.
  Sure enough, CBP officials are reporting that many migrants they 
encounter believe that ``there has been a change in immigration laws . 
. . a gap in enforcement on the U.S. border'' under the new 
administration.
  But if you ask now-Vice President Harris, the administration's point 
person on the border, there is apparently blame to be found everywhere 
but her own party's rhetoric on immigration, and there is value in 
going just about anywhere but the border itself.
  This week, the Vice President's investigation of the root causes of 
migration brought her to Guatemala and Mexico. The administration's 
delegation was apparently keen to talk about factors like corruption 
and climate change, but the President of Guatemala had a different 
agenda. As he put it, ``We asked the United States Government to send 
more of a clear message.'' Sound familiar?
  Of course, one place Vice President Harris did not stop on her trip 
was the U.S.-Mexico border, and, bizarrely, when she even plans to do 
that remains completely unclear. When asked about it in an interview 
this week, the Vice President responded with a laugh: ``I don't 
understand the point that you're making.''
  For months, the Biden administration has assured the American people 
that when it comes to our southern border, Vice President Harris has it 
covered, and they are betting on it. The White House budget request 
proposes no increase in funding for DHS, whose agents are working 
overtime to contend with the crisis on the ground. Well, there are a 
lot of folks on both sides of the border who are still waiting for the 
point person to actually take charge.