To the editor,

After President Joe Biden instructed foreigners to “surge to the border” during a Democratic primary debate, millions of criminal aliens entered America at record numbers. Terrorists, cartels and narcotics continue to flood our nation under Border Czar Kamala Harris’ watch, and Democratic members of Congress actively block legislation focused on securing the border.

While Americans struggle to afford groceries, gas and other necessities, the federal government provides free flights, housing and services to illegal immigrants at the expense of U.S. taxpayers. The Harris-Biden Administration’s embrace of open borders harms our national security, fuels the child sex-trafficking epidemic and exposes innocent civilians to harm.

Since taking office, Biden and Harris nullified effective Trump-era policies and prevented our Border Patrol from doing its job. For example, the Harris-Biden Administration terminated Title 42, ended Remain in Mexico and provided lucrative incentives to those looking to enter the United States illegally. Conservatives sounded the alarm, but the Biden White House pressed on and adamantly claimed that “the border is secure.”

Currently, fentanyl is the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45. Cartels smuggle this deadly poison through the southern border following shipments of supplies from China. The overwhelming number of illegal immigrants crossing the border preoccupies our Border Patrol agents and provides cartel members with cover to bring in these weaponized opioids.

In addition, CBP encountered record numbers of terrorists entering the U.S. under the current administration. It’s important to note that these numbers don’t include the more than 2 million got-aways that evaded law enforcement. Furthermore, tens of thousands of military-age males from China entered America last year following White House directives that significantly reduced the vetting process. With numerous wars underway across the world, open-border policies leave our nation incredibly vulnerable to mass casualty events caused by our adversaries.

On top of the threats to homeland security, Harris-Biden policies have directly fueled human trafficking and child exploitation. Nearly 450,000 unaccompanied alien children, or UACs, entered America under the current administration. Of the children that crossed the border alone, 291,000 were not given notices to appear and more than 32,000 who did receive notices failed to appear for their immigration hearing. The Office of Inspector General concluded that UACs “who did not appear in immigration court are considered more at risk for trafficking, exploitation or forced labor.” There is nothing humane about transferring children to unvetted sponsors and failing to ensure their safety.

To deflect from their complicity in the crisis, the Democratic Party and its allies in the media consistently blame Republicans for blocking the “Senate Border Bill.” However, they refuse to accurately portray the content of this legislation. First off, the bill allocated $60 billion to Ukraine and only $20 billion to the southern border. Simply put, this was a Ukraine funding bill in disguise that also attempted to perpetuate the crisis at the southern border into law.

Specifically, the legislation failed to end “catch-and-release,” failed to mandate construction of the wall, allocated billions of dollars to counter-productive nongovernmental organizations and empowered the D.C. district court to meddle in immigration law.

Worst of all, the bill authorized the mass release of migrants and only required DHS to turn them away if more than 5,000 a day crossed. As President Obama’s DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson once said, “1,000 [apprehensions] overwhelms the system,” and this legislation would eliminate any sense of operational security.

While Democrats gaslit the American people with flawed legislation, House Republicans passed H.R.2 to truly combat the invasion at the southern border. Unlike the misleading Senate deal, this bill would mandate construction of the border wall, end “catch-and-release,” prevent mass parole, empower states to sue the federal government and enact additional commonsense reforms. Although H.R.2 passed out of the House of Representatives, the Democrat-controlled Senate predictably rejected this good faith attempt to secure the border.

Despite the partisan legislative gridlock in the Senate, House Republicans successfully impeached disgraced Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for intentionally orchestrating the invasion at our southern border. As a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I helped draft and pass this overdue impeachment resolution. We charged Secretary Mayorkas with “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law” and “breach of public trust” for his dereliction of duty and sabotage of our southern border. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats shielded Mayorkas from accountability by ignoring the Constitution and bypassing a trial.

With the Senate refusing to work with the House of Representatives, a few members of the Republican Conference attempted to use the power of the purse to bring Democrats to the negotiating table. We pressured GOP Leadership to use our leverage to fight for spending bills that included strict border security measures, reforms to weaponized agencies and deep cuts to the bloated budget. Even though the House Freedom Caucus and our allies insisted on using every tool at our disposal, Republican leadership surrendered to Democrats by funding their damaging agenda with no reforms to spending or border security.

In defiance to the Washington Establishment’s complacency, we continued to pursue avenues to deter the infiltration of our homeland. Earlier this year, I introduced the Subterranean Border Defense Act to combat illicit cross-border tunnels under the southern border. My legislation would require Customs and Border Patrol to provide annual reporting on these tunnels to ensure Congress has sufficient knowledge and oversight regarding this dynamic threat. I’m pleased to report that this measure passed the U.S. House of Representatives, and this bill could even pass the Senate thanks to its bipartisan nature.

I wish I had better news to report on the state of our border, but I wanted to provide you with an accurate description of the current state of Washington politics. When I invited a brave constituent to testify after losing her daughter to fentanyl poisoning, my Democrat colleagues talked down to her and said she was unqualified to participate in the hearing. This town is a cesspool, and most politicians couldn’t care less about the real-life consequences of their selfish agendas.

I want to thank the courageous men and women on the ground for battling adversity. The failure theater of the federal government highlights the importance of strong local representation, and it’s been a privilege working with Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb and others to fight for a return to operational control.

Though we face steep obstacles, I’m confident that we can once again defend American citizens from murderous cartels and terrorists. A nation without borders is not a country, and it’s imperative that we prevent the implosion of our borders. Regardless of whatever happens Nov. 5, I will continue to use my voice, vote and platform to fight for border security, dismantle the heinous child sex trafficking industry and stop fentanyl from killing more of our children.