Shenango Valley News

U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives today about the ongoing impact of the Biden administration's failure to address the surge of illegal migration into the United States. As President Biden and former President Trump each visit areas of the U.S-Mexico border, Rep. Kelly highlighted the stark differences in their approaches to border security.

"The border is a tale of two presidents. President Trump has fought for border security for years. He wants to be there today. President Biden has ignored the border crisis for three years. Now, he's forced to visit," Rep. Kelly said. "President Biden's open border policies have turned every state into a border state. There are actions he can take today to close off the surge of illegal migration, but he fails to do it."

Rep. Kelly, who co-chairs the Northern Border Security Caucus, also raised concerns about the influx of terror watchlist suspects entering the United States through the U.S.-Canadian border. He emphasized the need for immediate action to address this security threat.

In addition to Rep. Kelly's remarks, some key border fast facts were presented:

- There have been 8.7 million illegal crossings nationwide under the Biden administration, including 7.2 million at the Southwest border.

- There have been 1.8 million known "gotaways" who evade U.S. Border Patrol.

- In Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, 85% of terror watchlist suspects entered through the Northern border.

- To date in FY2024, 93% of terror watchlist suspects apprehended at ports of entry have been caught at the Northern border.

- There was a 241% increase in illegal Northern Border crossings last year.

These statistics highlight the urgency of addressing border security issues, particularly at the Northern border. Rep. Kelly's speech underscores the need for President Biden to take immediate action to close off the surge of illegal migration and enhance national security measures.