[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 3, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S449-S450]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                            Border Security

  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, we are at a point where America faces a 
critical choice about our Nation's security, and the debate isn't 
complicated.
  Republicans are fighting to keep Americans safe. To do that, we need 
to enforce the law. We need to keep our borders secure.
  The Democrats--and we just heard from the minority leader--they are 
fighting to weaken law enforcement. They want to reward illegal 
immigrants for their illegal behavior.
  Right now, criminals who are here in this country illegally are among 
the most dangerous threats to the families of this country. They are 
violent offenders, murders, rapists, drug dealers, child 
traffickers. They are the worst of the worst.

  Many entered our country when Joe Biden and the Democrats threw open 
the borders 5 years ago. Over 10 million illegal immigrants flooded 
into the country during those 4 years of the Biden Presidency. During 
the 2024 election, the American people spoke very clearly. Americans 
voted for more border security, not less. Americans wanted more law 
enforcement, not less--and, yes, people spoke for deporting illegal 
immigrants, for not allowing them to stay. Republicans understand that 
safe communities are a result of secure borders.
  Today, Democrats continue to choose illegal immigrants over American 
citizens--right here, on the floor of the Senate, this morning. 
Democrats are the party of defund the police. They have been for a 
long, long time. Now they want to defund our security even further--our 
security, our borders. You have seen them protesting: Eliminate ICE. 
Eliminate Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They don't want the law 
enforced.
  Republicans refuse to allow this dangerous agenda of the Democrats' 
to succeed. Since retaking the majority, Republicans have made public 
safety a top priority. Republicans secured the border in record time. 
Illegal border crossings at the southern border are now at their lowest 
level in 50 years.
  Republicans passed the Laken Riley Act. It was the first law that we 
passed this past year, and it was the first bill signed into law by 
President Trump. The Laken Riley Act simply says that illegal immigrant 
criminals must be detained. Republicans then passed the Working 
Families Tax Cuts. That law invested over $170 billion to secure the 
border and safeguard our communities.
  Republicans secured the largest investment in history in border 
security and law enforcement. That is what we promised to do, and we 
did. That investment includes $46 billion to finish the wall and $75 
billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It is going to help 
train, hire, and retain more agents. It includes a bonus for those 
agents who continue to serve so that they remain on the job.
  Republicans also ended catch-and-release. For eight consecutive 
months now, zero--zero--illegal immigrants have been released into the 
country. None. Republicans strengthened enforcement in our country. 
More than 400,000 illegal immigrants who have been charged with or 
convicted of a crime have been arrested and removed from the country--
400,000.
  The lesson is clear: When we enforce the law and when we support law 
enforcement, Americans are safer.
  So what have the Democrats done?
  Well, they continue to put illegal immigrants ahead of law-abiding 
American citizens.
  Last week, the Senate--right here in this body--voted to complete 
funding for 96 percent of the Federal Government. The Democrats blocked 
the final 4 percent. They weren't for that. As for the bipartisan 
Homeland Security appropriations bill--a bill that Democrats helped to 
write--the Democrats then blocked it. The Homeland Security 
appropriations bill funds TSA

[[Page S450]]

agents for people who are going through the airports. It funds FEMA, 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, at a time when there is great 
need related to the storms that we are trying to recover from. It funds 
the Coast Guard. These are critical functions that keep Americans safe. 
Democrats blocked it.
  Democrats are willing to shut them all down--FEMA, emergency relief. 
Why? Because of the Democrats' war against law enforcement, against the 
Department of Homeland Security. They are the people who want to defund 
the police. That is who the Democrats are.
  And as we are here working to keep the government open, Senator 
Bernie Sanders of Vermont--a Member of the Democrat coalition--came to 
the floor last week, with a targeted amendment, as we have been 
fighting on these appropriations bills. The Sanders amendment targeted 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Democrats wanted to defund ICE to 
the tune of $75 billion. They wanted to redirect the money that was 
headed to an area where there has been great fraud. Every single 
Democrat--every single one of them--voted yes for the Bernie Sanders 
amendment to defund ICE. That is how radical the Democrats have become. 
They are the party of wide-open borders.
  Now, Republicans, rightly, are the majority--were elected to the 
majority--because people were fed up with the open border Democrats. 
Republicans rightly defeated that amendment, but the Sanders amendment 
exposes Democrats' open borders goals. When given the choice between 
protecting Americans and defending law enforcement, the Democrats side, 
time and time again, with illegal immigrants--every single time.
  We are trying to keep Americans safe. They are trying to protect 
illegal immigrants. It is that clearly defined. You have seen it on the 
signs as they protest in the streets: Abolish ICE. Republicans believe 
government must protect law-abiding citizens from criminals, not 
protect the criminals. The Democrats are, once again, choosing illegal 
immigrants ahead of law-abiding citizens. The events of the past few 
weeks are serious--they are tragic--but the tragedies are no excuse to 
defund law enforcement.
  If Democrats want to have a debate about Americans' safety, we 
welcome it. I am going to stand on the side of the American people. 
Democrats want to stand on the side of the illegal immigrants. 
Republicans are going to continue to stand with the men and women who 
keep us safe as Democrats try to defund the police and defund border 
security.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CRUZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sheehy). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  The Senator from Texas.
  Mr. CRUZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak for up to 1 
minute.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.