In a letter initiated by Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), 15 GOP senators asked the Biden administration to finish the border wall along the southern border.
The letter, addressed specifically to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, was dated Wednesday, roughly a day before the expected expiration of Title 42. The senators claim the Biden administration has "failed to acknowledge the crisis at our border," and they note how the administration has sent 1,500 active-duty troops to assist border officials "who are tasked with defending nearly 2,000 miles of border territory," according to the letter.
ARIZONA GOP SENATE CANDIDATE PROVES CRISIS AT BORDER IS AN 'INVASION'
“If the Administration had decided to spend congressionally-appropriated funds to finish the wall, perhaps your department would not need troops to assist," the letter reads.
"Perhaps the crisis would be more manageable. Terrorists, traffickers, and other bad actors know about our country’s failure to secure the border and they continuously exploit those weaknesses. There is a glaringly simple solution right in front you: we must finish the border wall," it continues.
Other senators who signed the letter include John Barrasso (R-WY), Ted Budd (R-NC), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Steve Daines (R-MT), Deb Fischer (R-NE), John Hoeven (R-ND), James Lankford (R-OK), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Jim Risch (R-ID), Marco Rubio (R-FL), J.D. Vance (R-OH), and Todd Young (R-IN).
Toward the end of the senators' letter to Mayorkas, several questions are asked. The senators are requesting answers to those questions by May 22. The questions are: How many miles of border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border have been built under the current administration? How much money has the Department of Homeland Security allocated to the wall's construction under Mayorkas's leadership? How many illegal immigrants is the department forecasting will seek entry to the United States once Title 42 expires?
Romney has previously called for the border wall's construction along the southern border to be finished. In December 2022, Romney claimed on social media that "record numbers of migrants" were crossing the border but that the Biden administration "refuses to accept the solution sitting right in front of them." Romney said the solution included finishing the wall and keeping the “Remain in Mexico” policy and Title 42.
We have record numbers of migrants illegally crossing the border and an alarming increase in drug trafficking, yet the Administration refuses to accept the solution sitting right in front of them: finish the wall, keep the “Remain in Mexico” policy, and keep Title 42 in place.
— Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) December 20, 2022
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Title 42, set to expire on Thursday evening, is a policy allowing border agents to expel immigrants to Mexico rapidly. The policy was first implemented in March 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent the virus from spreading in crowded detention centers.
On Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) said members of the Texas Tactical Border Force, a special National Guard unit, were being loaded into Black Hawk helicopters for deployment. The goal of the team, which will have access to aircraft, boats, riot gear, and night vision equipment, will be to identify any crossing points along the Rio Grande and to shut them down upon discovery.