Press Release

State Leaders Urge President Biden Secure Southern Border

ALEC trip to Southern Border ignites call for action.

Arlington, VA – As leaders on Capitol Hill announce the SAVE Act, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) issued a letter signed by their Board of Directors urging President Biden to secure America’s southern border and enforce existing law in an effort to stem the tide of migrants and deadly drugs pouring into the United States. This collective appeal arrives after an ALEC Southern Border Educational Workshop in Eagle Pass, TX, to better understand the ever-growing crisis that threatens our country’s citizens, land, and resources.

“In our mission to equip and educate state lawmakers, ALEC hosts more than a dozen workshops and academies for our members every year,” said ALEC CEO Lisa B. Nelson. “During the ALEC Southern Border Educational Workshop in April, members traveled to Texas to gain firsthand insights from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Military Department, and other key stakeholders about the realities unfolding at the US-Mexico border.”

Several members of ALEC leadership attended the workshop, including Kanas Senate President & ALEC National Chair Ty Masterson, Texas Senator Phil King, as well as legislative members from Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, and Utah.

“The week preceding our workshop, law enforcement apprehended over 12,000 illegal immigrants and seized a substantial cache of illicit substances, including 175 pounds of cocaine, nearly 700 pounds of marijuana, and over 750 pounds of methamphetamine, among other drugs and weapons,” said Texas State Sen. Phil King. “This surge reflects the alarming reality of our border crisis, exacerbated by the influx of fentanyl, human trafficking, and weaponry. Our firsthand experience underscores the dire consequences of the Biden Administration’s failed policies.”

On his first day in office, President Biden redirected funds away from border wall construction and issued a moratorium on deportations and immigration enforcement. The subsequent lifting of Title 42 restrictions resulted in a record 2.5 million encounters on the southern border in 2023 alone. The impact of these policies has reached the cities, suburbs, and once-isolated towns of each and every state.

At ALEC’s Southern Border Educational Workshop, members learned what is happening, how it’s happening, and why it’s happening. This border trip is core to ALEC’s unwavering commitment to providing premier education and expertise, empowering legislators to craft principled policy solutions to address the pressing challenges confronting their states.

“We encourage everyone to follow a legitimate path to citizenship so they may enjoy the benefits of participating in our democratic process,” Nelson added. “But for now, we are forced to tackle the realities of illegal border crossings that create additional needs for housing, education, healthcare, and law enforcement. State lawmakers are grappling with these challenges, on behalf of their constituents, every day. We stand ready to offer our support.”

Read the full letter here.


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