Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) has a simple plan to end the devastating border crisis that President Joe Biden has created.
Colorado lawmakers introduced the Build a Wall, Deport All Act on Friday. The bill codifies many Donald Trump-era policies and may stand in stark contrast to the border policies Biden laid out in his State of the Union address to the nation the night before.
“From day one, the Biden administration implemented an open border policy that has destroyed countless American families and made our communities less safe,” Boebert told Breitbart News. “My Build the Wall, Deport All Act would codify President Trump’s proven border policies that have reduced illegal immigration to record lows. ”
Boebert’s bill would end catch-and-release, restart construction of the border wall, ban federal funds from sanctuary cities, expedite the deportation of illegal aliens, and reverse President Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” bill. ” policy will be reinstated. It would also prohibit the removal of border walls built by states along the border to prevent illegal border crossings and end birthright citizenship.
Last month’s murder of Laken Riley, allegedly by a Venezuelan national, ignited public anger over the dire consequences of Biden’s border policies. In September 2022, the Biden administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released José Antonio Ibarra, the undocumented immigrant from Venezuela accused of killing Riley, into U.S. soil. And Ybarra was released by the sanctuary city in 2023 after being arrested on additional charges.
Republicans and Riley’s family have been pushing for a “Say Her Name” campaign to force action against the border policies that allegedly led to Riley’s death.
In a tense, off-script moment during Thursday night’s State of the Union address, Biden responded to yells of “Say your name” from Republicans with “Lincoln Riley,” but appeared to mispronounce her name. “An innocent young woman killed by an illegal alien. That’s right,” he said in a moment that clearly went off script, undermining his own message. “But how many thousands have been killed by illegal immigrants?”
Mr. Biden has vacillated between insisting he does not have the authority to act unilaterally and threatening executive action if Congress does not pass pro-immigrant open borders legislation. But in his first 100 days in office, President Biden took 94 executive actions to weaken U.S. border security, including ending Remain in Mexico, halting border wall construction, and implementing catch-and-release. .
Boebert says these deliberate actions caused the crisis. “The Biden administration’s willful negligence has handed operational control of the border to cartels, resulting in an unprecedented surge in the trafficking of women and children and deadly fentanyl,” she said. . “We have to close our borders and stop the invasion. The best way to do that is to build a wall and deport them all.”
The numbers back up Boebert. Since Biden took office, his approval rating has been 57%. decrease The number of arrests of criminal aliens increased and deportations of criminal aliens decreased by 67 percent. And the border patrol arrested There are 336 people on the terrorist watch list.
But Democrats’ criticism of Biden’s use of the word “unlawful” to describe Riley’s alleged killer makes it clear they are unlikely to actively work with Boebert and Republicans. .
Asked by CNN about the Laken Riley interaction, Rep. Nancy Pelosi quickly responded, “He should have said ‘undocumented'” instead of mentioning Riley or her murder. . Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) argued that Biden’s comments were “dangerously close to the language of Donald Trump, who targets the backs of Latinos everywhere.” “As a proud immigrant, I am deeply disappointed to hear President Biden use the word ‘illegal,'” tweeted Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.).
As a proud immigrant, I am deeply disappointed to hear President Biden use the word “illegal.”
— Rep. Chuy Garcia (@RepChuyGarcia) March 8, 2024
Boebert’s co-supporters are blaming Biden’s policies, not her rhetoric, and highlighting the real impact of her actions as Americans feel them.
“Since taking office, Joe Biden has openly welcomed millions of illegal aliens into our country, including terrorists and violent criminals,” Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) said in a statement. . “Lives are being destroyed, families are being destroyed, and communities are being destroyed across our country. These lawbreakers should be deported and our borders closed. Build a wall and deport them all. The law does just that.”
Rep. Byron Donald (R-Fla.) called for action. He said: “The situation at the border is unsustainable, continues to set record highs in almost every tracking statistic, and the situation is worsening by the day.” “The problem requires action, and it is time for the Trump administration to introduce evidence-based solutions backed by data that have proven successful over the years. I will ensure the safety and security of the American people. I support Congresswoman Boebert to do so.”
Some praised Trump for the effective policies Boebert is trying to restore.
“Our borders were more secure than ever under President Trump, and they are more vulnerable than ever under President Biden,” said Rep. Barry Moore (R-Ala.). “Without a return to President Trump’s successful policies, we may no longer have a country. This bill completes Trump’s wall, reinstates his ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy, and removes all illegal aliens from our country. By promoting exclusion, we are putting American families first.”
Several of her co-sponsors criticized Biden for making dismantling Trump’s progress on the border an immediate priority after taking office.
“Biden signed Executive Order 13993 on his first day in office, reversing all border security measures established during the Trump administration and allowing 10 million foreign nationals to enter our country,” said Representative Mary Miller (R-Ill.). “This paved the way for illegal entry into the country.” .
WATCH — Gorka: Biden’s open borders are the biggest threat to the US
Matt Purdy/Breitbart News
She continued:
Our government’s primary responsibility is to keep the American people safe. Instead, Biden opened the border to invasion by military-age men, endangering the lives of innocent Americans. I am proud to work with Congresswoman Boebert to codify the Trump Administration’s policies to secure our southern border.
Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) echoed that criticism, saying, “On day one, Joe Biden used the power of his pen to undo President Trump’s immigration policies. I am proud to codify policy and counter the encroachment of the Biden border crisis.”
Representatives Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Andy Harris (R-MD), and Andy Ogles (R-TN) also co-sponsored Boebert’s bill. NumbersUSA also supports this bill.
Bradley Jay is Breitbart News’ Capitol Hill correspondent. Follow him on X/Twitter. @BradleyAJay.
