WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Committee, today joined a press conference to outline the growing challenges facing Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials and North Dakota National Guard members that are currently deployed to the southern border. Last week, Hoeven visited Del Rio and Eagle Pass, Texas to support CBP officials and North Dakota Guard members and draw attention to their work at the U.S.-Mexico border. The senator also continued working to extend the Title 42 Public Health Order, an important tool that allows immigration officials to return illegal immigrants to their home country and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“I was down in Del Rio and Eagle Pass last week to support our North Dakota Guard members and to draw attention to the growing illegal immigration crisis at the southern border. Our Guard is the eyes and ears of the border patrol. Last year, CBP said they were encountering individuals from 50 different countries at the southern border, now they’re seeing migrants from 100 different countries. In March, there were 220,000 encounters at the southern border and that doesn’t include those who got away. If the administration lifts Public Health Order 42, it will only get worse,” said Hoeven.
“When I was down there we had two North Dakota Guardsmen who had just saved five migrants who were trying to cross at Del Rio. They went out there and saved them at great risk to themselves. We know what that risk is because we saw what happened to a Texas Guardsman this week who tried to save some migrants. That’s a tragedy. The administration needs to enforce the law and secure the border,” the senator continued.
Hoeven has been working to extend the Title 42 Public Health Order, including introducing legislation with Senator Rubio to extend Title 42 until February 2025 and pressing the Biden administration to enforce Title 42 and other key immigration policies. The senator is also working to ensure the Biden administration enforces other key immigration policies, including:
Hoeven previously traveled to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas to meet with Border Patrol and local leaders on the southern border. Hoeven also traveled with a bipartisan congressional delegation to Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia and Guatemala to discuss the need to work together to stop illegal migration and prevent human and drug trafficking.
