The Biden-Harris administration's record on border security speaks for itself. Nearly 11 million people illegally encountered at the border within four yearsThat's five times more than during President Donald Trump's first term. Of particular concern are the more than 176,000 illegal immigrants, many of them military-age men, who have entered the country from hostile nations such as China.
Even if 1% were malicious foreigners, our national security would be at risk. Thankfully, President Trump's return to the White House is sure to usher in a return to border policies that emphasize national security and assert U.S. sovereignty.
President Trump will have to contend with a much more volatile geopolitical scenario than during his first term. Our enemies are pursuing less direct strategies to sow discord and mayhem. The ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe shows how Russian President Vladimir Putin has weaponized illegal immigration against his European neighbors.
Russia's actions should serve as a warning about how America's adversaries are able and willing to take advantage of border instability to wage asymmetric warfare.
Russia's decision to launch the largest ground war in Europe since World War II demonstrated the tragic consequences of a nation-state's disregard for hard power. President Putin was pleased that Europe's largest and richest countries used taxpayer dollars to fund massive social safety nets at the expense of expanding their intelligence and military infrastructure. Russia did just the opposite, devoting itself to weakening the West through both conventional and unconventional means.
We have seen Russia weaponize mass migration to put pressure on certain countries in Eastern Europe that are supporting Ukraine's war effort. Several reports clearly indicate that the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary group, is actively operating. Causing chaos in already unstable African countries And the Middle East will instigate mass migration north into Europe.
Poland, the country already bearing the heaviest burden of the war-induced Ukrainian migration crisis, is currently overwhelmed by immigration rush From the Middle East and Africa.
Enforcing large-scale illegal immigration into Poland has three major benefits for Russia. First, the constant and large number of migrants attempting to cross borders further increases existing strains on internal and external security assets. Poland is currently in a dilemma over who to fund and what to fund. It's a costly and resource-intensive effort to deal with the military and the consequences of mass immigration.
The second advantage Russia has is intelligence gathering. The Kremlin could gain vital information about how Poland's government and society responds to the crisis, and could provide Russia with a blueprint for how to destabilize the country in the future. The same is true of other bad actors, such as China and Iran, both of which intend to use similar means to undermine the West.
Finally, large-scale illegal immigration is a way for Russia to intimidate countries like Poland and cause division among NATO allies and the Western world as a whole. Russia has made it clear to the Polish people that the Polish government will suffer from large-scale illegal immigration due to the Polish government's open military support to Ukraine. In this way, Russia hopes that pro-Ukrainian sentiment in Poland will decline and the public will be less willing to invest further in its military.
It is essential that Poland and the free world recognize Russia's intentions. Decisive action is now required, or we risk further deterioration of Europe's security situation as a result of our failure to deter Russia.
The United States can learn valuable lessons from Poland regarding its own border crisis. Indeed, Russia and China have already begun to take advantage of the Biden-Harris border policy, which has provided a front for foreign agents to enter the United States, hide among its citizens, and gather intelligence from within the country. This trend of mass immigration is unabated and, even if it is indicative of Poland's tendencies, will get worse if Russia sees this as an effective means of weakening the West.
America's elected officials need to understand that our enemies are weaponizing immigration to stress America's social and security systems. President Trump chose Tom Homan becomes Border Emperor It's a welcome decision, as he clearly prioritizes border security and deporting illegal criminals. But Congress will also need to act in concert to ensure that President Trump's priorities for U.S. border security advance.
At the same time, the United States must seek ways to reduce the hard power of its adversaries abroad. The more Putin is forced to allocate resources to avert disaster in Ukraine, the fewer both conventional and asymmetric tools Russia has to confront the West.
The United States should take steps to ensure that sanctions are appropriately enforced so that adversaries are further isolated both from the global economy at large and from potential opportunistic partners. Additionally, adequately fund our own intelligence and surveillance capabilities to identify when and how adversaries plan to use non-traditional methods to threaten our security. must be provided.
Geopolitics affects the state of our borders whether we like it or not. The United States can shape this by taking an active leadership role in foreign affairs. This is a fine line to walk, and the United States should not seek out conflicts in which it will be tied up. But the United States should certainly pay attention and be prepared to act if necessary. After all, our adversaries are trying to capitalize on the failures of border policy over the past four years.
Contrary to President Biden's rhetoric that “America is back,” his presidency has actually been defined by an American withdrawal and increased cooperation between adversaries such as Russia, China, and Iran. All countries are becoming bolder. Retreating to America's fortress is exactly what autocrats like Putin, China's Xi Jinping, and Iran's Ali Khamenei want. Even before he returns to the Oval Office, President Trump's demeanor makes clear that he understands the relationship between both border security and foreign policy.
Pat Fallon represents the 4th District of Texas. An Air Force veteran, he serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the Oversight and Accountability Committee.
