Mann Asks White House, D.C. Democrats—What Will It Take for You to Secure the Border?

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to urge the White House and Washington Democrats to work with House Republicans to secure the border. During the speech, Rep. Mann challenged the Biden Administration’s decisions to ignore the reality of the situation at the border, noting that May 2024 was the thirty-ninth straight month where monthly illegal encounters were higher than even the highest month seen under President Trump. In closing, Rep. Mann invited his colleagues to come to the table to develop a solution to the nation’s border crisis.

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Below are Rep. Mann’s remarks as delivered on the House Floor:

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss President Biden’s open border.

Since President Biden was sworn in, his open border policies have created a national security and humanitarian crisis. House Republicans continue to urge the White House and our Democrat colleagues in Congress to work with us to identify a solution. Again and again, we are met with silence. I understand border security may not be politically convenient for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, but at some point, they must stop pretending that this crisis doesn’t exist.

I found it telling that over the July 4th holiday, the White House touted that illegal crossings along the U.S. southern border decreased following President Biden’s executive order. What they conveniently left out is that even with this executive order, May was still the 39th straight month where illegal immigrant encounters have been higher than even the highest month under President Trump.  

I understand that the White House is in desperate need of good press, but with all due respect, Mr. Speaker, the facts are the facts. Our borders are far from secure, and no feel-good story or graphic from the White House Communications team is going to change that.  I spent last week with Kansans in eleven counties across the Big First, and they were clear – addressing the nation’s border crisis matters to them.

Under President Biden’s policies, cartels have been the winners, and innocent children and those who are trying to enter the country legally have been the losers. It doesn’t have to be this way. Let’s do something to fix this chaos.

First, we need to immediately finish the border wall. Time and time again border patrol agents have shared that a physical barrier along our nation’s borders, coupled with advanced technology, is extremely helpful in stopping the cartels. We also need to designate the Mexican cartels as exactly what they are—terrorists. These human smugglers get rich by putting lives at risk and pouring fentanyl into our country. It is unacceptable.

We need to implement policies that are actually effective. On his first day in office, President Biden immediately began rolling back the Trump Administration’s immigration policies for no other reason than they were associated with President Trump’s name. President Biden never asked if the policies were helping curb illegal immigration or slow illegal immigrants from entering the country or if it’s good for the United States of America. It was simply, “If President Trump did it, it’s gone.” That has backfired on President Biden, and polls show that. There is a reason President Trump is more trusted on the border than President Biden. We need to reinstate Remain in Mexico and end President Biden’s disastrous catch and release policy.

And finally, we must change our tone and send a clear message: do NOT come to the U.S. illegally. At the start of his presidency, President Biden promised outright citizenship to more than 11 million illegal immigrants. America is a nation of legal immigrants, and the President’s false promise was a slap in the face to the 2 million people who legally migrate to the U.S. each year the right way. We should make legal immigration easier, and illegal immigration harder.

Mr. President, this is not rocket science. It’s simple. I ask my colleagues again today, what will it take for you to come to the table to secure the border? We can’t keep pretending the current situation is normal. Your move.

Thank you. I yield.

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