Speech #CREC-2017-10-11-pt1-PgH7961-2_t10

However, due to the failures of politicians past and present, the U.S. southern border, in particular, remains porous. I applaud President Trump for releasing a set of principles which I fully endorse and his priorities that are focused on making our borders more secure. President Trump's consistent message calling for better enforcement of our immigration laws and improving border security is one of the main reasons he won the Presidency. President Trump is sticking to his campaign promises, which is refreshing to see in Washington, D.C., these days, a town where too many times there is an aversion to making tough decisions in fear of how that will be viewed in the next election. So it is refreshing to see President Trump do what he said he was going to do. Protecting our borders, ending sanctuary cities, and facilitating State and local cooperation in immigration enforcement are commonsense ideas that will protect national security, promote public safety, and deter future illegal immigration. We are hard at work on solving these problems of illegal immigration in the House. Just three real quick facts: From November 2013 to July 2014, officials apprehended 143 individuals listed on the U.S. terrorist watch list trying to cross the Mexican border and enter the U.S. illegally. So many times I hear people say that this is not true and that this does not happen, but we know better. As of 2014, illegal immigrants were convicted and sentenced for about 13 percent of the crimes in the United States. Then, lastly, border security should also focus on maritime domain. Our Coast Guard, a hardworking branch of our military service, has set a new record for cocaine seizures at sea for the second consecutive year, seizing more than 455,000 pounds of cocaine in 2017 that was destined for the homeland. So I am proud to join the Republican Study Committee in recognizing the necessity of border security today.