House Republicans prod Biden administration to hike US-Canada border security amid rising crimes

WASHINGTON, DC: House Republicans are taking steps to increase border security as hawks concerned about illegal immigration grow more worried about the US-Canada border.

A new bill being led by Representative Nick Langworthy, R-NY, would mandate that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) carry out an annual threat assessment of the northern border, reported Fox News.

It would also mandate that, within ninety days of the release of the threat assessment, DHS update its northern border enforcement strategy.

Joe Biden's administration has been grappling with southern border crisis

For the majority of the president's term, the Biden administration has been battling a crisis at the southern border. The northern border between the United States and Canada has also become a bigger issue in recent months, despite having far fewer resources to handle it.

In fiscal year 2020, there were 2,019 agents from the Customs and Border Patrol monitoring the northern border, while there were 16,878 agents at the southern border. At the time, there were over 150,000 fewer encounters at the northern border than at the southern border, but those numbers have since more than quadrupled.

Almost 10,000 people were arrested at the northern US border in 2024

According to data from Langworthy's office, 9,460 persons were arrested at the northern US border in the first seven months of fiscal year 2024 - nearly twice as many as were arrested in the entire previous fiscal year, which totaled 4,849 people.

Langworthy’s bill currently has 13 co-sponsors, including fellow Republicans from northern border states.

What did Rep Nick Langworthy say?

"I've personally met with Border Patrol agents in New York and witnessed their struggle firsthand — they are severely under-supported and left to face this crisis with limited resources," Langworthy told Fox News.

"This legislation is not just a necessity; it's a demand for more transparency from the Biden administration as it comes to the safety and sovereignty of our nation," he added.

Rep Claudia Tenney on illegal border crossings

Representative Claudia Tenney, R-NY, a co-sponsor who has a modest part of the border in her district, said, "Since President Biden took office, there has been an unprecedented surge in illegal crossings at our northern border, including an 846% increase across a single sector, threatening our national security and the safety of communities across NY-24."

"President Biden has let our southern border completely crumble, and because of that, our northern border is now being targeted," said Rep Lisa McClain, R-Mich.

Democrats blame Republicans for border crisis

Republicans have been held accountable by Democrats for exacerbating the border crisis by rejecting a bipartisan reform of immigration and border laws earlier this year. Republican lawmakers in turn stated that the legislation did not adequately address the severity of the issue.

The White House said in a recent statement announcing new executive actions on the southern border, "Republicans in Congress chose to put partisan politics ahead of our national security, twice voting against the toughest and fairest set of reforms in decades."

Netizens react to House Republicans taking steps to increase border security

Internet users gave their opinions concerning the republican lawmakers taking measures to increase border security.

One X (formerly Twitter) user penned, "It's interesting to see lawmakers advocating for increased attention to northern border threats. The focus on border security and potential threats is a critical aspect of national security discussions."

Another tweeted, "Everything this administration does is a total disaster."

"This administration is facilitating an invasion and sex slavery with their open borders. AMERICA FIRST TRUMP2024," added one user.

One user tweeted, "We need a wall on both borders."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.