Just last week, White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, claimed it isn’t The President’s job to secure our Southern Border. If you’re like me, you probably found this claim alarming. Sure, at face value, it’s not solely the President’s job to secure our borders. In a perfect world, the Administration works in lock step with Congress to pass legislation funding the protection of our borders, addresses visa programs and closely monitors immigration, no matter what side of the aisle you’re on. Over the last several years, lax border policies have posed as a threat to many parts of our nation. Whether it’s the 7.8 million illegal immigrant encounters that have happened at our Southern border since Biden took office, the 1.8 million known gotaways, or the $150.7 billion that illegal immigration is costing our country each year, the issue simply cannot be ignored.

The reality is, border issues don’t stop at the border—they spill into our communities, schools, and the main streets of America, making every state a border state. Border issues aren’t just about illegal immigrants entering through an open border; it’s also about drugs, like fentanyl, that pass through each day undetected. In Missouri alone, we lost 1,401 lives to opioid overdoses last year, with 248 of those deaths occurring within the Third District. These numbers are not mere statistics; they represent cherished members of our communities—brothers, sisters, friends, mothers, and fathers—whose lives were tragically cut short by a ruthless substance.

Fentanyl crosses our borders undetected every day. Mexican cartels operate with a sophisticated business model that includes drug trafficking, human trafficking, weapon smuggling, and money laundering. If we don’t secure our southern border, we welcome these crimes onto our soil. So, when is enough, enough? How many lives lost to the opioid epidemic, people killed by violent crime, or drugs seized will it take for President Biden to step up and acknowledge that protecting our borders is essential to our national security? These activities not only endanger the lives of our citizens but also undermine the rule of law and the integrity of our nation. The current administration's failure to address these issues has left our nation vulnerable.

Throughout my time in Congress, I have remained committed to advocating for policies that prioritize the safety and well-being of our citizens, especially concerning the opioid epidemic. Last year, I introduced the Stopping Illicit Fentanyl Trafficking (SIFT) Act to create a long-term solution for scheduling fentanyl analogues. This allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in conjunction with the Attorney General and Department of Justice (DOJ), to schedule or de-schedule fentanyl analogues as needed. Now, the President must take decisive action to secure our borders and stem the flow of illegal drugs and criminals into our country.

CONTACT US: I encourage you to visit my official website or call my offices in Jefferson City (573-635-7232) or Cottleville (636-327-7055) with your questions and concerns. If you want even greater access to what I am working on, please visit my YouTube site, Facebook page, and keep up-to-date with Twitter and Instagram.

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