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When President Donald Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law last Wednesday, it marked a new beginning for the United States – a new Golden Age of America, as President Trump put it in his inaugural address.
In signing what was the most significant piece of immigration-enforcement legislation to reach the Resolute Desk since 1996, President Trump signaled that the era of open borders is over.
From now on, illegal aliens arrested for theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting offenses, assault of a law enforcement officer, or any crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury will no longer be free to roam American streets. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will detain criminals before they can reoffend or flee. And, at long last, state attorneys general will have standing to sue federal officials for failure to enforce our country’s border laws.
Had the Laken Riley Act been in effect during the Biden-Harris administration, Laken Riley’s killer would not have had the opportunity to take her life. Laken would still be with us, shining her light on each and every person around her.
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I am thankful for the support of her mother and stepfather, Allyson and John Phillips, in our effort to ensure no other family has to endure an entirely preventable tragedy like this one, and I admire their faith, courage and strength in the face of pure heartbreak. It is one of the great privileges of my life that we were able to come together to honor Laken’s legacy and help keep American families safe.
The Laken Riley Act addressed one of the most important issues our country faces today: the number of criminal illegal aliens already inside our country and freely roaming our streets. But, while vital, the need for stronger interior immigration enforcement is only one aspect of what ails America. We must also work to prevent criminals from entering the U.S. to begin with.
That is why I reintroduced the WALL Act.
It is long past time to complete the construction of a wall on our southern border. President Trump came into office in 2017 with plans to build the wall, and we have since seen the consequences of the willful obstruction that prevented the project from being finished: Illegal border crossings skyrocketed to record levels under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ administration. Now, more than ever, we need a barrier preventing illegal aliens from coming into our country.
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The WALL Act would finish building one.
It would appropriate the funding necessary to complete the wall and allow President Trump to do so without raising taxes on U.S. citizens or increasing our national debt by a single cent. We would fund the wall by fixing yet another issue in our immigration system: eliminating taxpayer-funded entitlements and tax benefits for illegal aliens.
Not only would the WALL Act mean taxpayers stop having to foot the bill for illegal aliens, but it would also close the loopholes allowing illegal aliens to use benefits intended for citizens and legal residents. Addressing another problem, the WALL Act would impose monetary fines on illegal aliens and migrants who overstay their visas.
This bill means two things: Finishing the border wall and saving the American people money while we’re at it. In fact, the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation estimated in 2018 that enacting the provisions in the WALL Act would save $33 billion over 10 years.
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As chairman of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, my first priority is ensuring the Trump administration has the funding required to carry out its mission, the detention space it needs to get criminal illegal aliens off our streets, and the resources, personnel, and technologies necessary so Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations can do their jobs safely and efficiently.
That is what the American people told us they wanted when they sent President Trump back to the White House and a Republican majority to the Senate this past November. It is what our country needs and what our citizens deserve.
During the past four years, our government lost sight of its fundamental duty: providing security for its citizens. But now, from the Oval Office to both chambers of Congress, the Republican Party is committed to getting our country back on track.
We will keep the promises we made to the American people by securing our border, detaining and deporting criminal illegal aliens, and restoring order throughout the United States, from the Pacific coast to the shores of the Atlantic.
Our efforts began with the Laken Riley Act, but they do not end there. We will continue to turn the will of the people into law, and we will make America safe again.
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