U.S. Rep. James Comer representing Kentucky's 1st Congressional District | Official U.S. House headshot
U.S. Rep. James Comer representing Kentucky's 1st Congressional District | Official U.S. House headshot
The Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs held a hearing titled “The Border Crisis: The Cost of Chaos” to examine the impact of the Biden-Harris Administration’s border policies.
Key points from the hearing include:
Chris Clem, former Chief Patrol Agent for the Yuma Sector, highlighted significant increases in illegal entry encounters. "According to Customs and Border Protection (CBP), there have been more than 10.5 million illegal entry encounters nationwide, with more than 8.5 million of those encounters at the southwest border since the beginning of FY2021," Clem stated.
Clem also expressed concerns about public safety and national security due to current policies. He mentioned that almost 400 individuals from 36 countries on the U.S. government’s Terrorist Screening Database had entered since January 2021. Clem said, "Innocent Americans have been targeted by criminals who have illegally entered our nation."
Economic impacts were also discussed. Dr. Steven Camarota from the Center for Immigration Studies noted that "illegal immigrants are a net drain — they create more in costs than they pay in taxes." He added that increased immigration drives up housing costs and affects wages.
Subcommittee Chairman Glenn Grothman emphasized economic challenges posed by recent immigration levels. Rep. Grothman asked Dr. Camarota if seven million illegal immigrants strain public services and represent a fiscal challenge, to which Camarota responded affirmatively.
Representative Paul Gosar addressed national security issues related to border security failures. Clem reported finding IEDs and RPGs near the border and mentioned apprehending 40 people on the terrorist watch list in 2022 alone.
Rep. Andy Biggs highlighted what he termed as an unsustainable situation at the border by comparing past and present arrest numbers in Yuma.
The hearing underscored calls for deterrent-focused policies to address these issues, including reinstating previous administration policies like Remain in Mexico and continuing wall construction.
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