[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 172 (Wednesday, November 20, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S6649]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                            Border Security

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam President, after 4 years of Biden-Harris 
failures, our country is set to make an incredible comeback with 
Republican control of Congress and the White House starting next year. 
At the top of our agenda will be securing the southern border. Until 
then, though, the Biden-Harris open border remains a threat to our 
families, our communities, and our country. Congress should waste no 
time in taking action to protect this Nation.
  Since taking office, the Biden-Harris administration has 
apprehended--get this number--nearly 400 suspected terrorists at the 
southern border. Now, that is a 3,000-percent increase compared with 
all 4 years of the Trump administration. They also released nearly 100 
individuals on the Terrorist Watchlist into the country.
  Unfortunately, these are just the terror suspects that we know about. 
Under this administration, there have been more than 2 million known 
``got-aways,'' illegal aliens who have entered this country. They 
evaded apprehension by law enforcement. We do not know who they are, we 
do not know where they have gone, but we know that they are here from 
the Border Patrol accounts.
  Now, on top of all of this--400 suspected terrorists, a 3,000-percent 
increase over the Trump years, nearly 100 that are on the Terrorist 
Watchlist, and the 2 million ``got-aways''--there are more than 1.7 
million what are called special-interest aliens who have come from 
countries that pose a national security threat to our Nation, including 
Iran.
  Of course, this is the same regime that helped plan the horrific 
October 7 terrorist attack on Israel that claimed the lives of more 
than 1,200 people, including 46 American citizens. Iran-backed Hamas 
terrorists also took more than 250 people hostage, including a dozen 
American citizens, 4 of whom remain in captivity. No one connected to 
these barbaric attacks should be allowed in this country. Yet, under 
President Biden and Vice President Harris, that risk remains sky high.
  Earlier this year, Canada began issuing visas to Gazans with little 
to no vetting, meaning aliens with potential ties to Hamas could enter 
our country not only from the southern border but also the northern 
border. Instead of addressing the threat, however, President Biden 
issued an Executive order earlier this year that prevents many illegal 
aliens from Hamas-controlled Gaza from being deported.
  A growing terror threat would be bad enough, but under this 
administration, we have also seen tens of thousands of criminal illegal 
aliens reach our border. These are people who have committed crimes, 
some of the worst imaginable--homicide, sexual assault, domestic 
violence, human trafficking, and more.
  As a result of this influx, we are seeing a surge in violent gang 
activity across America, including in my State of Tennessee. Just last 
week, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation warned that the violent 
Venezuelan gang we are all hearing about, Tren de Aragua, is ramping up 
its human trafficking operations in Tennessee's largest cities. This is 
the same gang that has taken over entire apartment complexes from San 
Antonio to Colorado for drug dealing, sex trafficking, and other 
violent crimes.
  Make no mistake, our country cannot afford 2 more months of this 
administration's broken immigration policy. By the way, that is why you 
are seeing all this influx, all the numbers we have talked about: the 
400 suspected terrorists, the nearly 100 that have been released into 
this country, 55,000 criminal illegal aliens, people that are convicted 
of these crimes, 2,200 gang members. Why does it happen? Because this 
administration's border policy is an open border. That is their policy.
  Last week, reports emerged that human traffickers and these human 
trafficking cartels in Mexico are telling everybody: You better be 
running to that border right now and get in before Biden leaves office.
  (Ms. ROSEN assumed the Chair.)
  Thankfully, the Senate can pass legislation today that would secure 
our border and protect our country from terrorists and criminals. Here 
are some pieces of legislation I have:
  The PRINTS Act, which I introduced last year, would combat 
trafficking by giving Border Patrol the authority to fingerprint 
noncitizens under the age of 14 so we can protect them from being 
trafficked.
  The CONTAINER Act, which I introduced in January, would empower 
border States like Texas to place temporary barriers on Federal land in 
order to protect their communities.
  The CLEAR Act, which I introduced in March, would ensure that State 
and local law enforcement officials have the tools they need to help 
the Federal Government deport criminal illegal aliens.
  The bipartisan No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act, 
which I recently introduced alongside Senator Rosen, who is currently 
serving as the Presiding Officer, would ensure that no migrant tied to 
Hamas and the horrific terrorist attack on October 7 is ever allowed to 
set foot in this country.
  The bipartisan Border Smuggling Crackdown Act, which I introduced 
last week alongside Senator Ossoff, would ensure human smugglers are 
held accountable for every life they endanger.
  With the growing threat of an illegal immigration surge ahead of 
Inauguration Day, the Senate should pass these bills immediately and 
send them to President Biden's desk.