[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 187 (Monday, November 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S5474]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                            Border Security

  Madam President, I came to the floor back in June to talk about 
Biden's border crisis, and I called for my Democratic colleagues to 
join me in passing legislation to stop the invasion occurring at the 
southern border. That month, Border Patrol recorded almost 145,000 
enforcement encounters with illegal immigrants.
  I had hoped that the numbers would convince my colleagues across the 
aisle and this administration to step up and do something about it, 
but, over the last 5 months, it seems that my colleagues across the 
aisle have put their heads in the sand and that the border crisis has 
reached catastrophic levels.
  In September, Border Patrol reported almost 270,000 enforcement 
encounters. Think about that--270,000 enforcement encounters.
  My colleague from Texas was just on the floor a few minutes ago, 
talking about this very issue.
  Now, as wars rage on two continents, we have more to worry about than 
just drug smugglers and gun runners and human traffickers, who are 
exploiting our open border. Suspected terrorists are infiltrating our 
southern border at unprecedented rates. Thousands of people from 
Russia, China, Iran, and other nations aligned with the new ``axis of 
evil'' have tried to enter this country undetected. If something 
doesn't give, an attack on our homeland is inevitable. It is not a 
matter of if it will happen. It is a matter of when.
  I am truly at a loss for what will finally convince my Democratic 
colleagues to take back control of our border. It is wide open. But, 
today, I want to appeal to them using an idea I hope everyone can agree 
on, and it is all about protecting children.
  Children are being used, abused, and trafficked by the cartels at the 
southern border. These sick individuals view these precious children as 
cargo, and the stories you hear from survivors are unimaginable. I 
think my Democratic colleagues are well aware of this practice of child 
recycling. Adults at the border who want an easy way into the United 
States will rent or buy children and present themselves as family. So 
the children are then dragged across the border with that unrelated 
adult who is often a single male. When they are no longer useful to the 
disgusting criminals, they are taken by the cartels and smuggled back 
into Mexico to be used again and again and again. Border Patrol says 
there are some children who have been recycled eight and nine times. 
The Border Patrol sees them coming across. They have identified some of 
these children.
  This is a completely disgusting practice, and I have proposed two 
pieces of legislation to stop this evil practice.
  Earlier this year, I introduced the End Child Trafficking Now Act, 
which would criminalize child recycling, reinstate the DNA testing 
program, and create harsh penalties for migrants who want to skirt the 
law. This legislation would require DHS to deport illegal aliens who 
refuse to take a DNA test. If the DNA test proves that the migrant is 
lying and that there is no proof of a family relationship, then HHS 
would step in and process that child as an unaccompanied minor, and the 
trafficker would face a maximum 10-year prison sentence for falsely 
posing as a family.

  Now, my colleagues and this administration wanted to stop DNA 
testing. They said it took too much time. It takes 45 minutes--45 
minutes. This is something that is common sense. We need to get that 
bill to the President's desk and test for that DNA.
  Last Tuesday, I led 17 of my Senate Republican colleagues in 
introducing the PRINTS Act. Currently, Federal law prohibits Border 
Patrol from fingerprinting children under the age of 14. This doesn't 
make any sense, and experts agree that fingerprinting these children 
would make it easier to investigate and eliminate these trafficking 
rings. It would also help the Federal Government keep track of the 
unaccompanied migrant children entrusted to their care. The legislation 
is simple. It would give our law enforcement at the border the 
authority to fingerprint noncitizens under the age of 14.
  Like the End Child Trafficking Now Act, it would finally criminalize 
this horrific practice of child recycling, and it would remove the 
authority of unelected bureaucrats to waive fingerprinting requirements 
for illegal immigrants. This legislation would save lives. This would 
protect children. It would help cut into all of this human trafficking 
and sex trafficking that is exploding in this country.
  You have heard the Governor of New York and the mayor of New York 
City talk about prostitution rings that are popping up all over the 
city--the same for Chicago, the same for Minneapolis, the same for 
Boston, the same for Denver. We are hearing it from these big sanctuary 
cities. So it is important that we pass the PRINTS Act and that we save 
these lives. I think this is an important step--both of these pieces of 
legislation--to protect children who are coming to our border.