Binghamton, NY – Congressman Marc Molinaro penned an op-ed published in the Press & Sun Bulletin / PressConnects.com outlining his plan to secure the border and calling out DC Insider Josh Riley's dangerous record to open the border to drugs and criminals.
Read it here and below:
Believe your own eyes.
On day one, the Biden-Harris Administration signed a series of orders that effectively created an open border. Since then, undocumented immigrants—including hundreds on the terror watch list—have poured across the southern and northern borders, ending up in our neighborhoods and costing New York taxpayers billions.
And the results have been devastating for us: In the Capital Region, an innocent 15-year old girl was sexually assaulted by an illegal immigrant. Another 21 year-old girl in Central New York was brutally murdered by an illegal. In the Catskills last year, an illegal immigrant raped and strangled a young woman after being released on bail reform. And just last month a Peruvian gang leader was captured in the Southern Tier.
As a father, and as someone who has actually visited the border, it is agonizing that my calls for action weren’t heeded. I knew it then and know it now – our system has totally collapsed.
To fix the border crisis in New York, we need more bipartisanship, more competency, and a plan that actually puts Upstate New Yorkers first.
Here’s my plan:
First, we need to reinstate Remain in Mexico, deploy physical barriers, and innovative technology at the border to stop the unmitigated flow of illegal crossings and deadly drugs. We also need fully funded law enforcement so they can return to patrolling the border, instead of processing people and paperwork.
In May of last year, I voted for legislation called the Secure the Border Act that makes these changes. We need the Biden-Harris Administration to come to the negotiating table so we can get it over the finish line.
Second, Governor Hochul needs to repeal New York’s Sanctuary State designation. This designation has allowed New York State to be a destination for illegal immigrants and it’s created a problem that’s twofold: it allows unvetted individuals, even those with a criminal history, to enter our communities and avoid deportation. And it overwhelms our already stretched social services – costing us billions.
We need relief and we need it now.
Some sensible Democrats have recognized the urgency and taken action. As a former County Executive and Village Mayor, I was impressed by the response from local Democrat officeholders who bucked their own party and declared states of emergency to prevent illegal immigrants from settling in their communities.
It was refreshing to see, especially considering the divisiveness in today’s political arena. Not to mention, it’s just good policy. The fact is many of these communities lack the capacity to care for vulnerable New Yorkers – let alone a massive influx of illegal immigrants.
Unfortunately, others have cowered and attempted to shirk responsibility.
After losing in 2022, my opponent DC Insider Josh Riley is running again and is now blatantly lying in TV ads about his own open border position.
The plain truth is Josh Riley was one of the nation’s leading advocates that got us into this mess. He led the legal battle to dismantle Donald Trump's border policies. Riley sued in the Supreme Court and drafted legislation in the United States Senate to open the border, permanently.
To make his claims even more laughable – Josh Riley is Governor Kathy Hochul’s pick for Congress. The same Governor who has stood idly by as buses packed with illegal immigrants were sent to Upstate New York. The Governor who launched a statewide campaign to find undocumented immigrants jobs, while working families struggle to get by. And the same Governor who proposed a budget that slashed funding for schools, while directing $2.4 billion for illegal immigrant services.
In times of crisis, we need people who will speak out, not go along to get along.
That’s why I’m still fighting alongside people from both parties who recognize the clear and present danger and want solutions that actually fix the border crisis.
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