WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) issued the following statement after President Trump’s address on the national security crisis at our southern border.
“President Trump is right. There is a crisis on our southern border. Tonight, President Trump outlined the facts on our current border situation. Democrats may not accept them, but this is the harsh reality that our border patrol agents and law enforcement officers face daily. If Democrats continue to refuse negotiations, then President Trump should do what is necessary to protect our national security and enforce America’s sovereign borders.”
Situation Report:
- We are now averaging 60,000 illegal and inadmissible immigrants a month on our southern border.
- 17,000 adults at the border with existing criminal records were arrested by Customs & Border Protection (CBP) and border agents in FY18.
- 3,755 known or suspected terrorists were prevented from traveling to or entering the U.S. by the Department of Homeland Security.
- ICE officers arrested approximately 235,000 aliens on criminal charges or convictions within the interior of the United States in FY17 and FY18.
- 6,000 gang members, including MS-13, apprehended at the southern border and removed by ICE.
- 38% increase in methamphetamine, 22% increase in heroin, 73% increase in fentanyl between FY17 and FY18.
- CBP helped seize 282,000 pounds of cocaine, 248,000 pounds of methamphetamine, 6,500 pounds of heroin, and 2,400 pounds of fentanyl in FY18.
- Each year criminal organizations gain $2.5 billion in profit from human trafficking.
- The immigration court backlog is nearly 800,000 cases.
