Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Guest Column by Jim Hagedorn

Recently, I joined 12 other members of Congress to visit the southern border. We witnessed the Biden administration’s illegal immigration crisis firsthand, discussed border security issues with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and toured the border with agents that defend the 52-mile long El Paso, Texas, sector.

Federal border agents confirmed how the recent surge of illegal aliens, particularly unaccompanied minors, is due to President Joe Biden’s systematic dismantling of the successful border security measures implemented by former President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress.

During the Trump administration, the United States enjoyed operational control of our southern border for the first time in history. President Trump successfully defended America and calmed down the border “chaos” with common sense initiatives to build a border wall, end “catch and release,” require asylum seekers to remain in Mexico, remove illegals ordered deported by a federal judge, and champion legal, merit-based immigration.

Since the start of the Biden administration, America has endured more than 650,000 enforcement encounters. Disturbingly, we are on pace for a record of more than one million illegals entering the U.S. this year alone! Along with the migrants come violent criminals, illicit drugs that are killing children in our communities, and an avalanche of needs hoisted upon states, cities and taxpayers.

Biden has failed to enforce the successful migrant protection protocols and terminated the remain in Mexico policy as well as safe third country agreements. He has also ended the humane return of unaccompanied minors to their home nations and released illegals into our communities.

In one of the biggest mistakes during this crisis, President Biden rolled back construction of the border wall and refused to provide law enforcement with the tools to defend our country. During my discussions with border patrol agents, it was made clear that they want the wall completed and say it has made a “night and day” difference.

Fort Bliss is one of the many facilities along the border run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that houses unaccompanied minors, ages 13 to 17. Over 60,000 children per year are scheduled to be housed at Fort Bliss and then transported to the interior of America. President Biden and the Democrats plan to reunite these minor children with their families, not in their home nations, but America.

Recently, Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Guatemala and Mexico to identify the root causes of the illegal immigration surge now plaguing the United States. The vice president’s effort is unserious, akin to O.J. Simpson searching for the “real killers.”

VP Harris and President Biden are the cause of the illegal immigration influx. They have promised those who trek to America’s southern border entry into our country, transportation to America’s interior, and free food, housing, medical, education and cash benefits.

Undoubtedly, the vice president is hesitant to follow my lead and visit the border because she will hear what I heard from border agents: Trump’s policies worked; Biden’s policies are creating chaos.

The United States of America is the most generous nation on earth. We welcome more than 1 million to our nation as new citizens each year. All we ask is that immigrants come here legally.

President Biden and the Democrats have quickly destroyed the border security achievements of President Trump and Republicans. They have chosen to put America last and weaken our nation.

The first responsibility of every federal official is to defend the United States and protect the American people. As your congressman, I will fight to reinstate common sense border security measures and place the needs of America and Americans first.

Jim Hagedorn was reelected in 2020 to serve Minnesota’s First District in the U.S. House of Representatives for a second term.