My Introduction of H.R. 6120: The SAFE Border Act

Our country is facing an unprecedented border crisis. In October, I visited the Del Rio Sector of the Texas-Mexico border and saw firsthand the absence of adequate security, lack of support for our U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents, and especially, the harm illegal border crossings continue to cause our vulnerable border communities.

I was made aware of family-held farm and ranch properties that had damage, vandalization, and stolen equipment as a direct consequence of the recent surge of illegal crossings. Under the Biden Administration, these crossings have risen at a faster rate than at any time in recent history.

Since this Administration has ended effective border control policies and refused to address the crisis at hand, Congress must find other ways to protect American citizens who live on or near the border. My experience in Del Rio, as well as learning from my colleagues on the House Homeland Security Committee that increased damage and theft are directly connected to increased illegal crossings, inspired my introduction of H.R. 6120, the Securing American Families from Exploitation (SAFE) at the Border Act.

This legislation would transfer $75 million of unobligated border construction funds that have gone unused by the Biden Administration to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish the Southern Border Landowner Security Grant Program. These grants would enable American families living in high-risk areas of the U.S-Mexico border to strengthen their own physical security to prevent harm to their property. It also would provide modest compensation to landowners who have experienced damage, theft, or other losses.

To guarantee transparency and accountability, the bill would require applicants to submit specific documents for all claims, like police reports or certified statements. Additionally, it would oblige the Homeland Security Inspector General to review applications for waste, fraud, and abuse on an annual basis.

This legislation serves as a step toward a safer and more-controlled border. With Biden halting construction on the wall and bringing back catch-and-release, we must continue to propose substantive policy changes that help hardworking American taxpayers who are victims of Biden’s dangerous open-border decisions. On top of this, as if 1.6 million illegal immigrant border apprehensions this year isn’t enough, Biden is further incentivizing unlawful crossings by including amnesty and welfare for around eight million illegal immigrants in the Build Back Better bill. It is critical that Congress stands strong in striking down these detrimental policies and create commonsense systems that allow for proper, legal immigration.