Restoring order at our border

President Biden's self-created border crisis jeopardizes our national security and leaves our country vulnerable to serious threats. Under his careless watch, over six million illegal immigrants have crossed our southern border, nearly 265 people on the terrorist watchlist have been apprehended, and roughly 51,000 pounds of fentanyl have been confiscated by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. These figures do not even include the number of illegal immigrants who escaped capture, the terrorists who slipped through the cracks, and the devastating amount of fentanyl that has already flooded our communities and stolen precious lives.

While President Biden and Democrats in Congress are responsible for this mess, we cannot allow partisanship to let this crisis continue unchecked. Lives and livelihoods depend on a swift resolution to end the lawlessness and restore operational control at the border. I've been to the border, and I can confidently say that the crisis is far worse than it appears on the news. Without serious legislative reforms, the chaos, disorder, and dysfunction will ensue and worsen. That's unacceptable.

Speaking with Iowans on my 36 County Tour, I know that folks are frustrated and fed up with the Biden administration's refusal to defend our sovereignty and enforce our laws. So am I. However, I can say that my promise to our communities has remained the same since I was first elected. I won't sit back and wait for President Biden to do his job while fentanyl claims countless lives and drug traffickers profit off human lives. I'm rolling up my sleeves and offering real solutions to the border crisis because we need action, not empty promises.

This Congress, I have introduced and supported three pieces of legislation that will help us replace chaos with order at our border.

In May, alongside my Republican colleagues, I voted for the Secure the Border Act, which is the most significant and comprehensive border security bill that the U.S. House of Representatives has passed in decades. Honoring our Commitment to America, this legislation would increase the number of active border patrol agents, deliver a well-deserved pay hike for our border patrol agents, deploy enhanced technology to monitor illegal crossings, and end the Biden administration's unlawful "catch and release" policies. It also requires the Secretary of Homeland Security - who has frankly failed the American people - to report, with the utmost transparency, the accurate number of illegal border crossings each month. No workarounds or loopholes whatsoever.

This summer, I also introduced the Build the Wall and Fight Fentanyl Act to supplement our work on the Secure the Border Act. My bill is purely commonsense. It would use money seized by our brave border patrol agents to finish the border wall and fund fentanyl treatment and recovery services for our children and our families. The sad reality is that criminal drug traffickers have smuggled enough fentanyl into our country to kill every man, woman, and child in the United States, and tragically, too many families know the pain of losing a loved one to this deadly crisis. I remain committed to delivering real solutions to the border crisis by beating the drug traffickers at their own game and using their illegal financial gains to finish the border wall and support our families.

The third bill is personal to me. On January 31st, 2016, 21-year-old Sarah Root, who had just graduated from Bellevue University in Nebraska the day prior, was killed by an illegal immigrant who was driving while drunk - three times above the legal limit. Even worse, the perpetrator posted bail, was released from jail, and was never seen again - all without appearing before a judge and facing the consequences of his life-shattering actions.

I've had the privilege of meeting with Sarah's mother, Michelle, to honor her daughter's life by demanding real change to current loopholes in our immigration system. Following our conversations, I introduced Sarah's Law with Senator Joni Ernst to hold illegal immigrants accountable for their actions and swiftly detain, punish, and deport those who harm American citizens and break our laws. Our bill closes an Obama-era loophole that allowed Sarah's killer to walk free by requiring U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain and hold illegal immigrants charged with heinous crimes. Sarah and her family deserve justice. This legislation will deliver it for the Root family and so many others.

The crisis at our border will not end overnight. Lawmakers must put politics aside and prioritize the safety and security of our families and our communities. Afterall, it is our most sacred duty and important responsibility.

As a father of four, I will continue my work to secure our border, save lives, and defend our families from deadly drugs and criminal drug traffickers. The status quo cannot and will not suffice - and I certainly won't tolerate it.

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Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, represents Iowa's Fourth District in the U.S. House.