A leading coalition of top immigration reduction and border security groups has offered their support for the House border security bill, officially introduced on Tuesday as the "Secure the Border Act of 2023." They describe the bill as a "forceful and serious" response to the ongoing crisis at the southern border.
When The Secure the Border Act is approved by the House of Representatives in the coming weeks, the Republican-controlled House will have shown the American people a forceful and serious response to the worst border crisis in American history. - Coalition letter
Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) and Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) introduced the "Secure the Border Act of 2023" earlier this week. With the support of House Leadership, they filed the bill as H.R. 2, showing it as the second top priority for this Congress. The bill, which includes mandatory E-Verify, is expected to come to the House floor for a vote next week.
The coalition writes in a letter to Congressional leaders,
The undersigned coalition writes in strong support of H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act. This flagship package represents the strongest border security and enforcement legislation put forth to date, and fulfills key promises made in the Commitment to America.
Border Coalition letter by Fox News
Congressmen Diaz-Balart and McClintock's H.R. 2, the "Secure the Border Act of 2023", was introduced in a pro forma session on Tuesday and was the product of combining two separate committee-passed bills, one from the House Judiciary and one from the Homeland Security Cmte.
Of particular note, The House Judiciary package included reforms that would plug loopholes in the asylum system, end catch-and-release, enshrine Remain in Mexico, address the growing problem of trafficked children, go after visa overstays, and permanently mandate E-Verify.
At the time of its committee passage, NumbersUSA CEO James Massa said of the House Judiciary bill:
NumbersUSA strongly supports the efforts of the House Judiciary Committee to end the border surge. NumbersUSA encourages every Member of Congress to end abuse of parole authority, stop the smuggling and exploitation of children, and mandate the use of E-Verify by all employers. NumbersUSA encourages Congress to restore the integrity of our asylum system for those who legitimately need protection. We are grateful to Chairman Jordan and Chairman McClintock for their commitment to protecting American workers and ending the border crisis.
Original co-sponsors of the new H.R. 2, the "Secure the Border Act of 2023," included Clay Higgins, R-La., Andy Biggs, R-Ariz, Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, John Carter, R-Texas, and Ken Calvert, R-Calif. – along with Judiciary and Homeland Security Chairs Jim Jordan and Mark Green.
Coalition members, including NumbersUSA, Heritage Foundation, Citizens for Renewing America, the Claremont Institute, Judicial Watch, and Texans for Strong Borders, state that the proposals represent a "common-sense response to the chaos unleashed by the Biden Administration and would prevent further abuse of immigration laws to usher in even more mass illegal immigration." They add,
The package sets a strong baseline for conservative border security and enforcement policies for years to come, and with it, the conference has united behind legislation that would secure our sovereignty, security, and well-being.
The coalition, amplifying the American public's outcry over the border and support for reasonable immigration reforms, urged Members of Congress to put forth a bill to begin addressing the damage caused by the Biden Administration to the U.S. immigration system. House Republicans promised such a bill before the midterm election in their "Commitment to America" legislative framework. Finally, with the "Secure the Border Act of 2023," House Republicans delivered.
Despite acknowledging that the legislation will face an uphill battle in the Democrat-controlled Senate and White House, the coalition fully intends to continue the fight in the upper chamber. They state,
When the Secure the Border Act passes the House of Representatives in the coming weeks, the Republican-controlled House will have shown the American people a forceful and serious response to the worst border crisis in American history. The work will then turn to the Senate, where Senators can decide if they share in the cause of securing our border once and for all.
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