ICYMI: Neugebauer Op-Ed on Border Security in the Abilene Reporter-News
Abilene Reporter News
A Call to Obama to Address Border Problems
June 29, 2014
By Randy Neugebauer
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In 2013, during President Obama's campaign for amnesty, the president assured us that we have "strengthened security at the borders so that we could finally stem the tide of illegal immigrants."
While the administration seemingly has all but declared victory at the border, families and individuals from Abilene to El Paso have all along known that the president's Washington-speak has not made our communities here in Texas any safer.
Today, the problem is worse than ever and Texas is experiencing a true surge of illegal immigration, including thousands of unaccompanied children. Some reports suggest as many as 90,000 children may illegally cross the border this year. Many of these young people traveling to America with dreams of greater opportunity and a better life. But with the many drug cartels, human traffickers and other threats along the route, the journey can be dangerous or fatal, and raises even greater questions about our national security.
If thousands of children — some who can barely walk — can cross our borders illegally, it is clear that almost anyone or anything can enter the United States without consent or knowledge — drugs, criminals, disease or even worse.
Unfortunately, this surge is not a coincidence but a direct result of this administration's failed immigration and border security policies that encourage lawlessness and reward bad behavior. While President Obama has been busy expanding the role of the federal government and leading enormous overreach into our daily lives, his administration has completely ignored the obligations the Founder's envisioned for the federal government — to provide for a secure border and a strong national defense.
Instead of working with Congress to build the manpower, technology and capabilities needed to protect our borders, this administration consistently has insisted the border already was secure. Instead of enforcing existing immigration law, President Obama has used executive actions to repeatedly weaken the structure in place, making promises to ignore laws that require returning undocumented minors to their home countries, and setting the expectation that individuals who enter our country illegally will not be held accountable to follow our laws. This is unacceptable.
As this crisis escalates in our own backyard, my constituents and people across Texas deserve better from President Obama and the administration. Now is the time for real answers and solutions to this growing problem.
One June 20, Texas Reps. Mac Thornberry (District 13) and Mike Conaway (District 11) joined me in sending a letter to President Obama urging him to address the surge of illegal immigrants into Texas. We asked for the administration's plan to address the shortages in manpower, the actions they are taking to actually improve border security, the steps they are taking to discourage undocumented children from attempting the dangerous journey, and for their long term plan for the children already in the U.S.
I applaud Gov. Rick Perry and our brave local Texas law enforcement and border patrol agents who have worked tirelessly to address the surge in illegal immigration. It's time for President Obama to finally recognize that his administration has failed to stem the tide of illegal immigrants, and work with Congress to provide for a safe and secure border that puts the interest of American families first.
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