McCaul, Turner Bill Combats Border Crisis to Strengthen National Security

House Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mike Turner (R-Ohio) have introduced the Border Security and Enforcement Block Grant Act of 2024. The legislation aims to combat the border crisis and strengthen national security by providing federal grant funding for states to establish physical barriers along the southern border.

Rep. McCaul emphasized the urgency of securing the border, stating, "The Biden administration’s refusal to secure our border has led to terrorism threat levels unlike anything we’ve seen since 9/11." He added, "Our bill would provide states with the resources to do what President Biden should have done long ago: close the holes along the border and stop the constant flow of threats into the interior."

Rep. Turner highlighted the need for defensive barriers, pointing out that approximately seven million migrants have unlawfully crossed the southern border since President Biden took office. He stated, "The legislation that Chairman McCaul and I have introduced would inhibit the flow of illegal migration by providing southwestern states with federal grant funding to construct or repair existing physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border."

According to background information provided, since January 2021, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has encountered over 9 million immigrants illegally entering the U.S. from all borders, excluding nearly 2 million known gotaways. The encounters include individuals with criminal histories, convictions, outstanding warrants, and known gang affiliations. Moreover, 76 known or suspected terrorists have been apprehended at the southern border in the current fiscal year.

The proposed bill aims to address the national security threat by establishing a federal grant program to assist states in constructing, maintaining, improving, and repairing physical border barriers along their southern border. This initiative is intended to mitigate the border crisis and ensure that state and local resources are utilized effectively for the benefit of residents.