Nantahala News

U.S. Representative Chuck Edwards (R-NC) has publicly endorsed the Secure the Border Act of 2023, H.R. 2, a legislative proposal centered on border security and immigration reform. Edwards called for immediate action from the Senate and President in response to what officials have termed a 'border emergency' due to unprecedented migrant movement across the southern border.

Edwards asserted, "H.R. 2 will allow us to regain control of our border." He added, "The American people are waiting for the Senate and POTUS to act!"

As per Congress.gov, the Secure the Border Act of 2023 was introduced on May 2, 2023. The legislation seeks to revamp immigration and fortify border security. Its provisions include mandating the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to resume construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall, authorizing Operation Stonegarden grants for law enforcement, and limiting asylum eligibility exclusively to non-U.S. nationals arriving at designated ports of entry. It also broadens grounds for asylum ineligibility, allows DHS to suspend certain border entries for operational control, prevents states from imposing licensing on immigration detention centers housing minors, and necessitates an electronic employment eligibility confirmation system similar to E-Verify, making its use compulsory for all employers.

Edward's quote | X

According to Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), in May, under a Republican majority, the House approved the Secure the Border Act of 2023 with a vote tally of 219 to 213. Members of Congress, primarily from the House Republican majority, have visited the border themselves and witnessed the crisis firsthand.

FAIR also reported that President Biden's plan for the border—reaffirmed during a May 2023 interview on MSNBC—mainly concentrates on amnesty and offering a pathway to citizenship for individuals currently residing in the country unlawfully.

The BBC reported that a recent migrant caravan estimated at over 7,000 individuals, predominantly from South and Central America, has begun a journey from southern Mexico toward the United States border. This development coincides with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's upcoming discussions with the Mexican president on strategies to tackle mass migration. The continuous surge sees a pattern of over two million apprehensions at the US southern border annually in both the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years, with September 2023 alone recording over 200,000 migrants unlawfully crossing, according to US Homeland Security statistics.