Governor Kay Ivey on Tuesday announced she has signed on to a letter with 19 other governors calling on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to immediately take action to address the crisis at the southern border.
The coalition of governors wrote, “Contrary to statements from your Administration, the border is neither closed nor secure. In fact, the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) reports a staggering surge in recent crossings: 172,000 encounters in March, the highest number in nearly 20 years, as well as 18,890 unaccompanied children, the largest monthly number in history.”
“The crisis is too big to ignore and is now spilling over the border states into all of our states,” they warned.
The governors outlined that the Biden administration is directly to blame for the current situation.
“This Administration has enticed a rush of migrants to our border and incentivized an influx of illegal crossings by using irresponsible rhetoric and reversing a slew of policies—from halting border wall construction to eliminating asylum agreements to refusing to enforce immigration laws,” they advised. “The cause of the border crisis is entirely due to reckless federal policy reversals executed within your first 100 days in office. The rhetoric of the Biden Administration and the rollback of critical agreements with our allies have led to the inhumane treatment of tens of thousands of children and undermined a fragile immigration system. While the most direct victims of the policy changes will be the children exploited and trafficked by gangs and cartels, the disastrous impact of your polices on America’s recovery will be far-reaching.”
The governors then explained that the “the situation on the ground is heartbreaking” at the border.
“After a dangerous journey, many children are living in overcrowded conditions with uncertain futures and without parents or loved ones to care for them,” they said. “Beyond the humanitarian crisis, the lack of border security is a criminal one, threatening the safety of American citizens. The CBP reports a 233% increase in the seizure of fentanyl compared to January last year, exacerbating the nation’s opioid epidemic. Law enforcement officials are recovering drugs, illegal narcotics, and weapons being smuggled across the border by cartels—the same cartels that are also trafficking men, women, and children and jeopardizing their lives. At a time when our country is trying to recover from a once-in-a-generation pandemic, the last thing we need is a self-created crisis that exploits families, undermines public safety, and threatens our national security. We urge you to take action to end the humanitarian crisis and secure our southern border immediately.”
Governor Ivey also released an individual statement regarding the letter.
“When we have an unsecured and open southern border, Alabama is impacted, which is why I have joined 19 of my fellow governors in calling on President Biden and Vice President Harris to take action immediately,” she stated. “In the first 100 days of the new administration, we have seen a surge in illegal crossings, and as a result, we run the risk of overly burdening state and local resources. Overwhelming authorities on the federal, state or local levels is not the answer. We not only need to take action for our own security, but also for those who are seeking a path to this country. I urge President Biden and Vice President Harris to take action to end this humanitarian crisis and secure our southern border.”
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
