Diaz-Balart, Members of the American Security Task Force Unveil Border Security Framework for Day One of Republican Majority

July 29, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, the American Security Task Force (ASTF) unveiled its legislative recommendations to address the worsening crisis at the Southern border created by the Biden administration’s reckless and dangerous border security policies. This framework will be prioritized in a Republican-led House of Representatives.

The chaos at the Southern border is a direct result of the Biden administration's negligent policies which are crushing border communities, overwhelming frontline border law enforcement, resulting in record-breaking numbers of migrant deaths, and fostering unprecedented amounts of drugs flowing across the border. Criminals, traffickers, and gang members are exploiting the open, unsecured border for their personal gain. Homicides, assaults, incidents of domestic violence, illegal weapons possession, and sexual offenses committed by illegal migrants all increased dramatically in FY 2021 compared to FY 2020. Our national security is on the line as 56 people whose names appear on the terror watch list were stopped trying to cross the U.S.- Mexico border between ports of entry this fiscal year, while over 440,000 gotaways are unaccounted for.

The American Security Task Force's border security framework includes:

Building the Border Wall.
Bolstering Border Staffing.
Modernizing and Enhancing Technology.
Clearing the Carrizo Cane and Salt Cedar.
Expanding Authorities Like Title 42 to Address the Fentanyl Crisis and the Unprecedented Increase of Illegal Border Crossings.
Regaining Operational Control of the Southern Border, through:
Reimplementing the Migrant Protection Protocols.
Ending Catch and Release.
Strengthening the Asylum Process.
Ending the Disparate Treatment of Unaccompanied Alien Children.
Funding ICE.
Ensuring the use of E-Verify.
Ending Abuse of Parole Authority.
Preventing Benefits Abuse.
Increasing Penalties for Visa Overstays.

Learn more about the ASTF border security framework here.

Below is a list of the members appointed to the American Security Task Force.

Ranking Member John Katko (NY-24)
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
Rep. Ralph Norman (SC-05)
Rep. Carlos Gimenez (FL-26)
Rep. Andrew Clyde (GA-09)
Rep. Greg Steube (FL-17)
Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21)
Rep. Tony Gonzales (TX-23)
Rep. John Rutherford (FL-04)
Rep. Steven Palazzo (MS-04)
Rep. Warren Davidson (OH-08)
Rep. Greg Pence (IN-06)
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)
Rep. Troy Nehls (TX-22)
Rep. Brian Babin (TX-36)
Rep. Dan Meuser (PA-09)

"On behalf of the National Border Patrol Council, I want to thank House Republicans for their commitment to enacting desperately needed policies that will actually secure our borders," said Brandon Judd, President, National Border Patrol Council (NBPC). "The National Border Patrol Council staunchly supports these solutions because we are currently witnessing unprecedented public safety and public health crises that are the direct result of the Biden Administration's radical open borders policies. This Democratic-controlled Congress has completely and totally failed the American people, as record numbers of Americans are dying of drug overdoses and record numbers of individuals defy our laws with no consequences and enter our country illegally, oftentimes undetected. This lawlessness and the tragic loss of lives cannot continue and we have the ability to do something about it. The American Security Task Force framework must be enacted as soon as possible and we are proud to endorse these House Republican efforts."

Read more on Republicans' framework to secure the Southern border as first reported in Fox News here.

###