Biden-Harris Border Policies: A Legacy of Chaos and Crime

The Responsibility of Border Security

Upon taking office, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were tasked with the responsibility of ensuring the security of the American homeland and protecting our sovereign borders. However, nearly four years into their term, the border crisis that has unfolded under their administration is catastrophic and unprecedented. It is clear that they have not fulfilled their obligation, and the American people are the ones suffering the consequences.

Abandoning Trump's Border Security Policies

From the outset, Biden, Harris, and other key officials in their administration were intent on dismantling President Donald Trump’s effective border security policies, regardless of the potential fallout. They also chose not to enforce long-standing immigration laws that administrations from both political parties had previously upheld. According to a recent report by my committee, the incoming Biden-Harris team was warned by current and former Department of Homeland Security law enforcement during the presidential transition about the potential consequences of their actions. Despite these warnings, they chose to proceed with their plans.

The Impact on Public Safety

This neglect of duty has resulted in disastrous outcomes for public safety. Under the leadership of Biden and Harris, our borders have become porous and vulnerable, and interior enforcement has drastically declined. The data supports this. Since Fiscal Year 2021, the Border Patrol has recorded over 55,000 arrests of illegal aliens with criminal histories, a significant increase from the approximately 22,000 arrests made from FY2017-2020. Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens has noted that hardened criminals often hide among groups of smuggled migrants. According to one Border Patrol deputy chief patrol agent, they encounter individuals who have committed every conceivable crime.

Crime Beyond the Border

The issue of criminal aliens extends beyond the border. Between FY2017-2020, Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested over 480,000 aliens with criminal convictions or pending charges. In stark contrast, in the first three years of the Biden-Harris administration, such arrests dropped to around 165,000, despite the historic numbers of illegal aliens crossing the border. Furthermore, the Trump administration removed over 604,000 criminal aliens from FY2017-2020, while the Biden-Harris administration only removed around 158,000 from FY2021-2023. Removals of gang members last year were also down 40% from their peak during the Trump administration.

Restrictions on Law Enforcement

These numbers have declined because the Biden-Harris administration has imposed restrictions on law enforcement. According to a directive issued by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in September 2021, ICE personnel cannot rely solely on a conviction when deciding whether to detain a suspected criminal alien. This directive was ruled by one federal judge in 2022 to completely reverse the presumption of detention.

The Consequences of Non-Enforcement

The consequences of this policy of non-enforcement have been deadly. Families of victims such as Laken Riley, Rachel Morin, Jocelyn Nungaray, and many others have had their lives irrevocably shattered by individuals here illegally. Americans also need to be concerned about the historic number of individuals on the terrorist watchlist who have been caught illegally crossing our borders since FY2021. Even more concerning is that the Biden-Harris administration has released at least 99 of these individuals into the country. Last year, Mayorkas refused to answer direct questions about whether DHS has a policy to detain an illegal alien found to be on the terrorist watchlist until they are removed.

The Unknown Threats

These numbers only account for those the Border Patrol has managed to apprehend. The number of criminals or potential terrorists among the approximately 2 million known gotaways under the Biden-Harris administration is unknown. The arrest of an Afghan national earlier this month, who was charged with plotting an Election Day terrorist attack in Oklahoma, further illustrates that insufficiently vetted noncitizens are actively plotting harm against Americans from within our borders.

Bottom Line

The United States simply cannot afford to continue down this path. The Biden-Harris administration's border policies have resulted in a legacy of chaos and crime. It's clear that the current approach to border security and immigration enforcement is not working. What are your thoughts on this issue? Please share this article with your friends and consider signing up for the Daily Briefing, which is available every day at 6pm.