President Joe Biden acknowledged the catastrophe at our nation’s borders and assigned Vice President Kamala Harris as the border czar to solve the alarming security and humanitarian crisis. Harris has failed miserably at her task, which has made the situation more dire by the day.
Not only is our southern border in crisis, but the northern border is also being overrun by illegal migrants at the hands of corrupt and ruthless cartels. Under the Biden-Harris administration’s failed leadership, the northern border has witnessed an unprecedented surge in illegal crossings, including an alarming 846 percent increase in a single sector.
In June, it was reported that over 50 illegal immigrants with ties to ISIS were on the loose in our nation after being released by this administration. This fiscal year alone, 143 individuals on the Known or Suspected Terrorist list have been apprehended at the northern border — nearly double the number caught at the southern border. The escalating crisis at our northern border isn’t just a humanitarian issue; it’s a matter of national security, with 90 percent of all suspected terrorists attempting to illegally enter our country doing so along our northern frontier.
The alarming resurgence of terrorists attempting to breach our borders demands urgent attention. We are facing an existential threat to our homeland. Instead of protecting our communities, the Biden-Harris administration is actively endangering every citizen in our nation. Our northern border communities will continue to face imminent danger if the administration and sanctuary states like my home state of New York fail to take decisive action immediately.
In the aftermath of 9/11, the federal government created the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. This commission provided recommendations to mitigate the risk of another large-scale terror attack similar to 9/11. Among those recommendations was an emphasis on improving communication and interoperability between the various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, to ensure that these agencies work together to protect our communities.
This crisis is impacting every community in America. Just last week, a serial murderer and Peruvian gang leader was arrested in rural upstate New York. The leader of “Los Killers” had been in the country for months after crossing our southern border. It is not surprising that he made his way to Vestal, New York, a posh suburb and home to Binghamton University, which isa campus that pledged to protect illegal immigrants. Currently, New York is the only state that refuses to prioritize the safety of its citizens by obstructing the sharing of vital records between the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Homeland Security. This not only jeopardizes public safety but also impedes efforts to track down dangerous criminals and to thwart potential attacks.
I have hosted numerous law enforcement roundtables along with state and local representatives to map out strategies for increased communication and coordination between all levels of law enforcement to ensure another 9/11 is avoided. We heard critical testimony from law enforcement officials including Northern Customs and Border Protection agents and local police officers.
During these discussions, our law enforcement officials made it clear that the biggest obstacle in apprehending dangerous illegal immigrants is the inability to cross-reference critical information and data about suspects across all law enforcement agencies.
In order to protect our communities from future attacks, we must allow law enforcement officers to collaborate and share critical information about criminal suspects within our borders. To address this critical omission in the law, I introduced the Ensuring States Support Law Enforcement Act, to require each state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) share information and data with the Department of Homeland Security. This legislation would be a simple solution to the problems outlined by local police by promoting cooperation among the multiple levels of law enforcement.
Our communities will continue to be in peril if we delay interagency cooperation between all levels of law enforcement and relevant government agencies such as the DMV. The escalating and dangerous crisis at our northern border demands nothing less than decisive and immediate action to ensure national security and safeguard our communities.
As we continue to face imminent threats to our homeland, we must take proactive measures to protect citizens, which include enacting legislation such as my Ensuring States Support Law Enforcement Act. Bolstering our security infrastructure by requiring seamless cooperation among law enforcement agencies is the most effective way to protect our citizens from dangerous criminals.