Border Security Plan

Under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Border Czar Tom Homan, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and various federal and state agencies, have taken immediate action to stop illegal immigration, drug and weapons trafficking, and the influx of criminal gangs in our communities. Through this coordination, federal agencies have created a deterrent effect, reducing illegal entries to historic lows.

Unfortunately, our nation continues to bear the social and economic burdens of former President Biden’s failed immigration and open-border policies. Despite inheriting a secure border, President Biden allowed over 10 million illegal aliens to enter our country with no vetting or background checks. When President Biden took office, he paused deportations for violent criminal illegal immigrants and halted construction of the border wall. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was derelict in his duties, failing to address the crisis, which is why I voted to impeach him. It was the worst humanitarian crisis our nation has faced in more than two decades, and every year under the Biden Administration set new records for illegal border crossings.

To help codify President Trump’s record of success, I am supporting a comprehensive approach to help prevent a future return of President Biden’s failed policies while strengthening our borders and securing our communities. This plan is based on my visits to the Southern and Northern Borders, conversations with CBP, and my work with Border Czar Tom Homan. This plan incorporates three vital themes: Securing Our Borders, Prioritizing America First, and Upholding the Rule of Law. This plan also builds on the successful passage of the Laken Riley Act, allowing DHS to detain criminal illegal aliens, and the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which allocated billions of dollars to DHS to hire more officers, complete the border wall, while increasing penalties for illegal immigrants who harm American citizens. Securing our border is a national security and humanitarian imperative.

Securing our Borders

• Introduced H.R. 374, the DIRECT Act: This bill would defund Biden’s IRS army and redirect those funds to hire more CBP agents on the border. This legislation will realign the federal government’s spending priorities and provide even more resources to CBP to ensure it has all the resources it needs to secure our border. It ensures that American taxpayer dollars are used to protect and defend the American people, not attack middle-class families.
• Cosponsored H.R. 3891, the Northern Border Security and Staffing Reform Act: This legislation requires DHS to submit a comprehensive Northern Border Threat Analysis to Congress every five years that would look at the top threats facing our Northern border security. This bill would also address staffing challenges along the Northern border by providing the necessary resources for law enforcement. This will enhance transparency and support our mission to protect our communities from criminal gangs, illicit drugs, and illegal human trafficking along our Northern border.
• Cosponsored H.R. 1569, the CATCH Fentanyl Act: This legislation establishes a pilot program dedicated to improving the inspection of modes of transportation at land ports of entry along U.S. borders to detect contraband, illegal drugs like fentanyl, and illegal weapons. Adding additional detection technology at border crossings will strengthen our efforts to combat the ongoing fentanyl crisis that has ravaged families across the country.

Prioritizing America First

• Cosponsored H.R. 578, Sarah’s Law: This bill requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain any illegal alien that is charged in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. Further, ICE would have to provide the family of the deceased or injured with information about the detained alien. This bill will help ensure that dangerous illegal aliens are never allowed to illegally reside in our country after killing or injuring Americans.
• Cosponsored H.R. 30, the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act: This bill closes loopholes in current immigration laws and reaffirms the Trump Administration’s zero-tolerance policy towards criminal behavior perpetrated by illegal aliens. This ensures that any alien convicted of sex offenses or domestic violence are inadmissible and deportable.
• Cosponsored H.R. 175, the Deport Alien Gang Members Act: This legislation makes illegal aliens associated with criminal gangs inadmissible for entry into the United States, as well as deportable. It also enables the Department of Homeland Security to designate groups that are public safety threats as gangs. This is commonsense legislation that will prevent further violence and harmful acts that are perpetuated by illegal alien gang members. 

Upholding the Rule of Law

• Introduced H.R. 203, the Red Light Act: This bill withholds federal transportation funding from states that enact laws to provide driver's licenses or identification cards to illegal immigrants in the United States. In 2019, New York's Green Light Law took effect, allowing anyone over the age of 16, including illegal immigrants, to obtain a New York State driver's license. In just the first month after New York's Green Light law took effect, more than 50,000 illegal immigrants received a New York State driver's license. This legislation ensures that states that refuse to comply with our nation's immigration policies are not rewarded with federal funding.
• Cosponsored H.R. 32, the No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act: This legislation deems a state or locality ineligible for any federal funds that will benefit illegal immigrants if they do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. Sanctuary cities have proven to be a serious threat to the safety of American citizens, and this will ensure that jurisdictions cooperate with President Trump’s effective immigration policies or risk federal financial assistance.
• Cosponsored H.R. 31, the POLICE Act: This bill amends existing law to specifically state that assaulting first responders by an illegal immigrant is a deportable offense.We must ensure that any illegal alien who harms our law enforcement officers is no longer permitted to remain in our country.

Your views are very important to me. I hope you will take the time to review this plan and let me know what you think. If you would like to contact me, you can write to me on my website at tenney.house.gov or call my office at 202-225-3665 with feedback, questions, or concerns.