WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), a member of the Democrats for Border Security Task Force, called on House GOP leadership to bring bipartisan, comprehensive border security and immigration reform to the floor for a vote following President Joe Biden’s executive orders.

“Our southern border is overwhelmed, and it’s beyond time that Republicans and Democrats finish the hard work of compromise and send a bipartisan, comprehensive border security and immigration reform bill to President Biden,” said Houlahan. “The Senate did that earlier this year and we were close to once-in-a-generation improvements to border security and immigration. Maddeningly, Speaker Johnson, at the request of former President Trump, tabled the bill. As one Republican senator said at the time: ‘This proposal would have had almost unanimous Republican support if it weren’t for Trump.’”

"We commend President Biden for taking this Executive Action to bring ‘order to the border.’ This is an important step. Democrats for Border Security recognize that the President has taken this bold action because Congress has failed to act. Now, Republican leadership must finally allow the House to vote on the bipartisan Senate legislation proposed earlier this year,” said members of the Democrats for Border Security Task Force, including Houlahan, in a joint statement.    

The mission of the Democrats for Border Security Task Force is to enact common sense border security policy and deliver for the American people. Watch Rep. Houlahan’s remarks at the task force’s launch here.

Background:

Since taking office, President Biden has allocated a total of $71.48 billion to Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the agency tasked with securing U.S. borders and ports of entry. This is an increase of over $3.5 billion compared to former president Trump, who allocated $67.87 to CBP during his presidency. These funds were used to implement new security technology, scan additional cargo entering the country, and expel illegal crossers.

Despite these improvements through additional federal protection, the asylum system remains overwhelmed and inadequate to handle the influx of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border, much of which stems from increasing political unrest and instability in the region. In FY24, over 1.5 million encounters have already occurred at the southern border, and the total number of FY24 encounters is expected to equal or surpass FY23’s total of nearly 2.5 million.

Earlier this year, to address the high volume of encounters, several Senators drafted a bipartisan deal that would:

• Provide new federal authorities for drug enforcement
• Remove migrants without valid asylum cases
• Establish emergency power to temporarily close the border
• Raise asylum requirements
• Provide temporary work permits for asylum seekers
• Expand family and work visas
• Fund affected states and cities and more

Speaker Johnson quickly expressed his disapproval of the bipartisan deal, supported by President Biden, and refused to bring it up for a vote.

Today, in response to congressional inaction, President Joe Biden announced executive actions including an expected halt of asylum requests at the U.S-Mexico border once the average number of daily encounters reached 2,500 – the figures would be measured over the course of a week. Ports of entry would reopen for asylum requests once the daily encounters average declines to 1,500. This provision mirrors a similar cap that was proposed in the bipartisan Senate deal. Read the White House’s press release on the new actions to secure the border here.

Houlahan added: “It is Congress’ responsibility to create laws for the benefit of our country and the American people. Full stop.  For years, Congress has been derelict in our duties to protect our borders — at both our northern and southern borders — and I hope this executive action is a wakeup call for both the House and Senate. We must now act because border security and immigration reform require real bipartisan work to forge enduring policy solutions. I will continue working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to bring a bipartisan bill to the floor, so we truly make progress on an issue that is important to my community and all Americans.”

ICYMI: Houlahan visited the southern border earlier this year and wrote an op-ed in Newsweek on the need for a bipartisan deal. She also held an Immigration Telephone Town Hall featuring a local vice president of a Chester County landscaping business who advocates for workforce and visa reform and the Executive Director of Tec Centro in Berks County.

Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She represents Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. She is the recipient of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award which “recognizes members who demonstrate the bipartisan leadership and constructive governing necessary to move our country forward” and the Congressional Management Foundation’s 2022 Democracy Award for best Constituent Services in Congress.

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