[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 46 (Thursday, March 14, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2384-S2385]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                            Border Security

  Mr. YOUNG. Mr. President, during his State of the Union Address last 
week, President Biden spoke about solving the ongoing humanitarian 
crisis at our southern border, and he mentioned the name of Laken 
Riley. Laken Riley, as my colleagues know, lost her life--lost her 
life--because of that humanitarian crisis.
  Laken was a 22-year-old college student. She was murdered by an 
illegal alien last month. The illegal alien had been previously cited 
for theft and shoplifting but was released.
  Those who knew her described Laken as a shining light and 
kindhearted. Her calling in life was to care for others, and she was on 
her way to answering that calling, studying nursing at Augusta 
University, when she was murdered--murdered by a Venezuelan national 
who crossed our border illegally.
  To Laken's family and friends: Your fellow Americans grieve with you. 
We are saddened by your loss. We pray and we hope that, in time, you 
will find comfort. We should all find comfort in the example that Laken 
leaves behind.
  But let me not be the first to say--let me add my voice to the chorus 
of voices in emphasizing that words of condolence are not enough. It is 
far better for us to honor Laken's life by doing everything--
everything--within our power to ensure that no other family endures 
this or a similar tragedy.
  So to President Biden, who said after his speech that he shouldn't 
have referred to Laken's murderer as an ``illegal,'' and to any of my 
colleagues who are offended by the use of that term: Let us dispense 
with misplaced outrage. Let's stop playing political word games. Let's 
speak as plainly as possible. The man who killed Laken Riley broke the 
law when he walked across our southern border. He shouldn't have been 
in our country. He was an illegal

[[Page S2385]]

immigrant. Had our border not been broken, had our immigration laws not 
been continually ignored, he wouldn't have been in Georgia, and Laken 
Riley would still be alive.
  The man who killed Laken Riley was arrested in El Paso. He was then 
welcomed into the country with little obligation other than to follow 
the honor system, to show up for an appointment with Immigration and 
Customs Enforcement, which he failed to do.
  This is but one ripple in a wave--a wave--of illegal immigrants drawn 
toward and allowed into our border by design. In his first 100 days in 
office, President Biden signed 94 Executive orders to dismantle--
dismantle--his predecessor's border policies for the simple reason that 
those policies actually reduced illegal immigration. He ended the 
``Remain in Mexico'' policy. He scaled back border enforcement. He 
revived catch-and-release. He halted deportations. He allowed title 42 
to sunset. He abused our parole system, allowing millions of people 
into this country without proper vetting, overwhelming not just our law 
enforcement and communities along the border but also cities far from 
it, cities in my home State of Indiana. Last December alone, 300,000 
people were processed at the southern border--an alltime high.
  Mr. President, I would request 2 more minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. YOUNG. Mr. President, 9 million illegal immigrants have crossed 
our border during President Biden's Presidency. If only those among us 
would have spent as much time worrying about securing our southern 
border as they do about finding inoffensive terms to describe the man 
who illegally crossed it and then murdered Laken Riley.
  For over 3 years, I have urged the Biden administration to reverse 
its border policies. Record levels of illegal crossings are a national 
security issue. We know that. But they are also a crime and drug use 
issue in the State of Indiana and across the country, tragically 
evidenced by Laken Riley's death. The chaos this administration's 
policies have caused isn't confined to Texas, nor is it confined to 
Arizona. Every State is a border State.
  I appreciate the good-faith efforts of some of my colleagues--Senator 
Lankford most notably but others--to find bipartisan solutions to 
strengthen our border security. I will remain hopeful that we in 
Congress can find the path to improving our border security laws and to 
actually enforcing them. But the occupant of the Oval Office is not 
powerless to act.
  At times, President Biden presents himself as a border hawk, waiting 
on Republicans to give him the tools to end the crisis he created. We 
should note: The President has routinely pushed the constitutional 
limits of his office in pursuit of political and policy goals, but 
now--now--he claims, when it comes to the border crisis, he is hemmed 
in from taking action by Congress.
  Despite the tough talk, we regular Americans would be forgiven for 
concluding that this administration wants the crisis on our southern 
border to continue.
  Prove us wrong, Mr. President. Fixing the border begins with you.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming.