Granger Remarks at FY23 Homeland Security Subcommittee Markup

Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. 

Thank you and Ranking Member Fleischmann for your work on the Homeland Security Bill before us today. 

Unfortunately, I see areas where the funding and policies included in this bill are political and polarizing.

We all know this is a must-pass bill, and these issues will have to be addressed as we move forward, because they are very serious issues that need our consideration.

I will start with the funding. While this bill adds more than $2.7 billion above last year, it does nothing to seriously address the ongoing crisis at our southern border. 

This bill fails to include new funds for the border wall. We know that walls work, and they have shown to effective in stopping illegal immigration.

Instead, this bill lays the groundwork for more illegal immigration.

The policies proposed only enhance the ability of drug cartels to smuggle drugs into our country. 

We would be making it easier for these cartels to take advantage of migrants attempting to make the dangerous journey to the United States.

In fact, the largest migrant caravan so far this year is making its way from Mexico to the southern border as we speak.

Buses carrying the first of some 7,000 migrants, mostly from Venezuela, arrived at the border earlier this week, and many more will follow.

This bill does nothing but encourage more caravans to come.

By focusing on making migration easier instead of investing in common-sense border security and immigration enforcement, this bill creates real-world consequences for our security.

Some of the most concerning provisions in this bill include:

• Using previous border wall funds for environmental issues instead of construction;
• Reducing investments in technology to detect and stop those who cross the border illegally;
• Decreasing the number of detention beds to house dangerous criminals;
• And further restricting the ability to enforce our current laws.

We should prioritize the safety and security of the American people and move a Homeland bill that provides resources to enforce our laws, not undermine them.

If we don’t, border towns, migrants, and communities across the country will all pay a very heavy price. 

As illegal migrants continue to come to the southwest border at record-high levels, I urge my colleagues to reconsider the direction of this bill.

Border crossings in the month of May were the highest in twenty years, and we are on track for another record-breaking year.

We must bring border security back to the Homeland Security bill. 

Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. I look forward to working together on these very important issues as we move forward. I yield back.