Long-term threats to the U.S. include illegal immigration and the lack of a secure border. Rep. Steve Knightâs position on immigration is very clear. He supports a two-pillar plan: The first pillar is securing the southern border. The second is finding a bipartisan solution to give residency status to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients who have been living in this country since they were children.
Securing the border is also a matter of national security. The opioid crisis has claimed more than 42,000 deaths since 2016; one every 12.5 minutes! A substantial percentage of illicit drugs sold here come across our borders illegally. Itâs a primary source of funding for terrorist organizations and international cartels. The military has intelligence and surveillance assets, tools that should be deployed to protect our communities from the ravages of illicit drugs, while inhibiting terrorists by cutting into their funding.
Knight has introduced House Resolution 5546, which would authorize $20 million of the National Guardâs counterdrug funds for use in interagency efforts to combat opioid trafficking and abuse. If passed, the departments of Defense, Homeland Security and other government agencies would stop working independently, and start working together, sharing information and resources to stop the flow of illegal drugs.
Congressman Knight and I believe the vast majority of immigrants to the U.S., illegal or otherwise, are deserving of human dignity. Like most Americans, they are hard-working, decent people. Very few are criminals. The immigration and border security systems in the U.S. are broken. (Think Kate Steinle and Mollie Tibbetts!) Without proper border security, we have no country. H.R. 5546 is a positive way to start defunding cartels and terrorists. Support Steve Knight this November, as he works to protect Americans and secure our borders.
B.J. Atkins
Newhall
