More than 20 House Republicans led by Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert introduced a resolution Wednesday to censure President Biden for what they called his “dereliction of duty” at our southern border.
The 23 House Republicans decried the dramatic surge of migrants from Central America and other foreign countries at the border, including a record 180,000 in May, as well as the spike in arrests of suspected drug smugglers, murderers and sex offenders.
Vice President Kamala D. Harris, the president’s point-person on border security, has yet to visit the U.S.-Mexico border, although she announced Wednesday that she will travel to El Paso, Texas, on Friday.
“My censure bill holds President Biden accountable for his actions — or lack thereof — at the border,” said Ms. Boebert in a statement. “Biden has refused to enforce the laws securing our border, he has refused to visit our border, his border czar Kamala has refused to visit the border, and his Secretary of Homeland Security is lying to the American people by saying that our border is closed.”
The censure resolution is dead on arrival in the Democrat-controlled House, but the announcement served to highlight mounting GOP frustration with the Biden administration on border security.
Rep. Andy Biggs, Arizona Republican, called the administration a “complete disaster,” pointing to this year’s one million illegal border crossings.
“President Biden and Vice President Harris have sent an unequivocal message that they prefer illegal immigrants over Americans,” Mr. Biggs said. “Their radical agenda has erased our southern border.”
I went to the southern border to see what’s up, but I didn’t go alone… pic.twitter.com/m66fet7mUT
— Rep. Lauren Boebert (@RepBoebert) June 8, 2021
Ms. Harris, who will be accompanied on her El Paso trip by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, has come under vociferous criticism from Republicans who accuse her of avoiding the border to avoid drawing attention to the crisis.
She visited Guatemala and Mexico earlier this month for discussions with leaders about the root causes of the immigration influx.
The Republicans accused the Biden administration of incentivizing illegal immigration by eliminating policies implemented by former President Trump to secure the border, such as the remain-in-Mexico policy.
“President Biden’s reckless approach to our southern border is manufacturing a humanitarian crisis,” said Rep. Bob Good, Virginia Republican. “President Biden has undermined his oath and taken Congress’ power into his own hands by granting blanket amnesty and failing to enforce the laws on the books. I am proud to join Congresswoman Boebert in calling for his censure.”
Earlier this month, Ms. Boebert trolled the vice president by traveling to the Rio Grande Valley sector with a life-size cardboard cut-out of Ms. Harris, saying, “I brought Kamala down to see exactly what this regime is responsible for.”
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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