Congressman Robert Aderholt is joining a Republican delegation led by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to visit an area of the southern U.S. border known as a hotspot for migrants arriving from Central and South America.
The visit to Eagle Pass, Texas, today is meant to draw the nation’s attention to the growing problem of migrants seeking asylum in the United States after fleeing dangerous or economically depressed conditions in their home countries. Dozens of House Republicans are expected to make the trip.
Aderholt, R-Haleyville, accused President Joe Biden of turning a blind eye to the crisis and putting national security at risk.
“While no doubt many of them are trying to flee terrible situations in their own countries, the reality is that there is a legal process of immigration into our country. Those laws must be followed and enforced,” Aderholt said in a statement. “Also, many of these people are human traffickers, drug smugglers and individuals on our nation’s terror watch list.”
Last month, as many as 10,000 migrants per day were arrested at the border. U.S. Customs and Border Protection had to suspend cross-border rail traffic in the Texas cities of Eagle Pass and El Paso as migrants were riding atop freight trains.
Arrests for illegal crossing topped 2 million in each of the U.S. government’s last two fiscal years.
Aderholt said the Speaker’s involvement will help draw greater attention to the problem.
“While I have been to the border several times before, I look forward to getting a new perspective as I travel with Speaker Johnson. I know that my Republican colleagues and I are committed to ending this crisis and securing our border for the sake of our nation’s safety and sovereignty.”
Meanwhile, Johnson took to Twitter Tuesday claiming the Biden administration had emptied a migrant camp along the border in order to lessen the impact of the delegation visit.
Here is Eagle Pass just weeks ago vs. yesterday.
The Biden Administration decided to divert the flood of illegal immigrants to another location in order to keep them out of the camera shots during @HouseGOP’s visit to Eagle Pass. Don’t be fooled, they are still being released… pic.twitter.com/XzjPVq5xxB
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) January 2, 2024
Aderholt is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and chairman of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.