Lawmaker Urges Defunding DHS In Pursuit Of Border Security

Although Congress has the constitutional right and responsibility to control federal government spending, many critics complain that lawmakers frequently fail to wield that power in a manner that benefits the American people.

For his part, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) is hoping that the GOP will flex its political muscle as the majority party in the chamber to halt funding for the Department of Homeland Security unless the Biden administration agrees to implement meaningful border security improvements.

In a letter to his House colleagues this week, he wrote: “No border security, no funding. Simply put, no member of Congress should agree to fund a federal agency at war with his state and people. We have a moral obligation to protect our states, our nation, and, importantly, the migrant children getting abused from the disaster transpiring at our southern border.”

Noting that current funding is set to expire at the end of next month and legislators will likely be pressured to pass a continuing resolution to keep federal funds flowing, Roy described such a scenario as unacceptable. 

“Passing a full-year DHS appropriations bill without forcing the significant change necessary to secure the southern border is equally objectionable, even with some policy riders,” the Texas Republican added.

His letter went on to echo the concerns many other Republicans — particularly those along the nation’s southern border — have expressed about the Biden administration’s immigration policy.

“Criminal cartels maintain operational control of the border,” Roy wrote. “Migrants are dying on Texas ranches and along the Rio Grande. Little children are enslaved in the sex-trafficking trade. Fences are being cut, livestock are escaping, ranchers are threatened, and high-speed chases are tearing through small towns. Perhaps most deadly, dangerous fentanyl is pouring into our communities via an open border – empowering China and cartels while killing 200 Americans per day.”

In order to directly address this issue, he called on House Republicans to “use the power of the purse to force President Biden to end the carnage resulting from our open borders.”

Along with passing “strong border security legislation,” the specific steps his letter calls for in exchange for continued DHS funding are increasing the tools available to authorities targeting cartels, forcing DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas out of office, and reimbursing the billions of dollars Texas and other border states have already spent to address rampant illegal immigration.