There seems to be ongoing trend with this Administration. On Tuesday, the Labor Department released the August inflation numbers which were worse than expected at 8.3%. It also found that grocery prices rose 13.5% over the last year - the largest annual increase since Jimmy Carter was President in 1979. On this very same Tuesday, President Biden threw a party to celebrate the “Inflation Reduction Act” which has a $700 billion price tag. Celebrating “inflation reduction” while being serenaded by James Taylor on the White House lawn as American families are having to decide whether to fill up their refrigerators or gas tank could not seem more out of touch. Celebrating 8.3% inflation isn’t the only head scratcher we’re seeing. The crisis at our southern border is unfortunately another.

On this past Sunday morning’s episode of “Meet the Press,” host Chuck Todd asked Vice President Kamala Harris about the crisis at our southern border, noting the number of illegal border crossings has exceeded two million this year – a milestone that has never been met. The Vice President’s response was “we have a secure border...” That statement is empirically untrue, and an insult to the intelligence of the American people who know full well that is not the case. This Administration’s lax immigration policies and failure to equip our border patrol agents with the necessary resources has caused every town in America to become a border town.

The crisis at our border has led to skyrocketing crime across the country, more deadly drugs and overdoses, and a Border Patrol that is unable to properly do its job because many elected officials demonize them and refuse to properly fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). At the risk of sounding like a broken record – this truly is a crisis. There have been more than three million border apprehensions since Joe Biden took office. There are over 800,000 known “gotaways,” or illegal immigrants that have escaped into the U.S. since this Administration took over. And as fentanyl remains the leading cause of death for Americans age 18-45, the cartels have begun bringing rainbow fentanyl across the border in an effort to target children, which is sickening to think about. As we all know, the drugs that come through the border do not stay at the border. They move throughout the country and put all our communities in danger. Overdose deaths in our country hit an all-time high last year. It is a heartbreaking statistic to share, but it is unfortunately the reality.

The onslaught of people has brought to light another massive contradiction: so-called “sanctuary cities” and their pro-open border mayors are upset about the number of immigrants entering their areas. As you’ve likely seen, governors of states like Texas, Florida, and Arizona who have been inundated with illegal immigrants and everything that comes with it have been sending buses of immigrants to places that claimed they would welcome all immigrants at any time. That’s an easy statement to make when there are thousands of miles between you and the southern border, and of course, that all changes when the buses arrive. Just this week, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser – who is known for touting Washington as a “sanctuary city" – declared a public emergency because the city is in “a crisis that is certainly not of our making.” She has made countless declarations that D.C. is open to all immigrants but somehow she’s not responsible when they actually show up?  She condemns people who worry about the dangers of illegal immigration, but then declares an emergency when those immigrants arrive near her house. It’s as predictable as it is pathetic.

Some people claim governors of borders states are using immigrants as instruments in a political stunt. But I can assure you what is happening at our border is no joke, and the ramifications do not discriminate based on politics. These are the consequences of completely opening our borders and asking questions later. Borders exist for a reason, and the nationwide crime surge, spread of drugs, and humanitarian crisis President Biden’s policies have created are dangerous and unsustainable.

There is a way to stop this and it needs to happen immediately. First, the President needs to make it clear that illegal immigrants are not welcome and will be turned away at the border. The open-border policies that are currently in place have made crossing the border nearly effortless and completely undermined our legal immigration system. Why go through the legal process when you can save time and money simply walking in illegally? Other incentives like allowing people to work without proof of legal residency or allowing illegal immigrant to receive welfare and other benefits must also be stopped. And finally, we have got to give ICE and border patrol the necessary resources to do their jobs. These people are the first line of defense at our border, and they play a vital role in keeping our nation secure. But they have neither resources nor the manpower to carry out their mission, largely because of they are clearly disliked by the administration that employs them. They must be allowed and empowered to do their jobs.

There are plenty of issues to discuss about our legal immigration system, and we certainly should work on those improvements. But quality immigration policy starts with securing the border. If we can’t stem the tide the rest of it doesn’t much matter. We can effectively combat illegal immigration. We just need a little more honesty and courage from those who have publicly encouraged illegal crossings to do it.