AUSTIN - U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, a Senate Judiciary Committee member, introduced the Secure the Border Act of 2023. This legislation encompasses a multifaceted approach addressing immigration and border security issues looming in Texas.
Cruz argues that Biden's policies have failed to address border security and that the proposed bill is necessary to keep the country safe.
Sen. Cruz said, "Under Joe Biden, we have a wide-open southern border. The Biden Border Crisis has created the largest illegal immigration crisis in our nation's history. Biden's open borders are an invitation for cartels to brutalize children, assault women, overrun our communities with illegal aliens, and flood this country with narcotics and fentanyl. These drugs kill over 100,000 people per year. This bill would stop the Biden Border Crisis dead in its tracks by building the wall, ratcheting up asylum standards, increasing the number of Border Patrol Agents, and implementing effective border security policies."
In the ongoing legal battle between Texas and the federal government, a federal appeals court recently allowed Texas' floating barrier on a section of the Rio Grande to remain.
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The barrier comprises wire mesh netting and buoys anchored to the riverbed. Governor Greg Abbott argues that the barrier is necessary to prevent illegal immigration, while the federal government alleges it violates migrants' rights.
The proposed legislation is part of a threefold approach that includes provisions to resume border wall construction, increase Border Patrol Agents, and tighten asylum standards. It restricts asylum eligibility to those who present themselves at official ports of entry and meet specific criteria.
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The bill also seeks to limit the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) authority to grant parole to illegal aliens.
Overstays are criminalized through a $1,000 fine for the first offense. The second offense is a felony punishable by up to a $2,000 fine and up to two years' imprisonment.
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Another notable provision involves defunding NGOs that use tax dollars to assist illegal aliens with transportation, lodging, and legal representation.
Additionally, the legislation restricts DHS from using its CBP One app to facilitate the entry of illegal aliens. It also mandates employers to use E-Verify.
Further, it ensures that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has access to criminal history databases of all countries of origin and transit for individuals at the southern border.