Milwaukee City Wire

On Wednesday, FOX News published an op-ed by U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) addressing the "clear and present danger" of the open border under the Biden administration. The senators called on Senate Republicans to deny cloture on any Ukraine support bill that does not include border metrics that dramatically reduce the number of illegal migrants being dispersed into the U.S.

The op-ed highlights the senators' concerns about President Biden's open border policy, stating, "President Biden’s open border policy is a clear and present danger to America. We believe a U.S. president’s primary responsibility is to defend the country's citizens and our Constitution. When it comes to border security, he is doing neither. Rather than address and alleviate this clear and present danger, President Biden and his Democrat allies in Congress are the root cause."

The senators also criticize the Biden administration for reversing the border security policies implemented by the previous administration. They argue that this reversal has facilitated the multi-billion dollar business model of sex, drug, and human traffickers, leading to numerous overdose deaths and posing a significant national and homeland security threat. According to the senators, "Of the 6 million migrants who got in, 1.7 million were detected crossing the border and accounted for as 'known gotaways.' We obviously don’t 'know' who these people are, or where they currently reside."

During a recent hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, FBI Director Christopher Wray expressed concerns about the increased possibility of foreign terrorist organizations directing attacks in the United States. Senator Scott questioned Director Wray, who stated, "What has now increased is the greater possibility of one of these Foreign Terrorist Organizations directing an attack in the United States… It is time to be concerned. We are in a dangerous period… The terror threats have elevated…" since Joe Biden took office.

The op-ed argues that the open border provides an opportunity for foreign terrorist organizations to infiltrate the country. The senators believe it's up to Republicans to use any leverage they can, including the administration's desire to provide foreign aid to Ukraine, to secure the border. They emphasize that regardless of support for Ukraine, securing America's border and protecting its citizens should take precedence.

The senators propose tying Ukraine funding to achieving benchmarks that prove the border is being secured. They suggest using the number of migrants dispersed in America each month as a metric, which includes migrants encountered, processed, and released, as well as detected gotaways. By significantly reducing the number of migrants entering the country each month, the senators believe the administration would be forced to prioritize border security before dispersing U.S. taxpayer money for aid to Ukraine.

In conclusion, the op-ed states, "House Republicans should not consider, and Senate Republicans should deny cloture on, any Ukraine funding bill that falls short of this requirement." The senators argue that under existing law, President Trump was able to reduce illegal immigration over a twelve-month period, and they believe a similar approach should be taken to secure the border before providing aid to Ukraine.

The op-ed by Sens. Johnson and Scott highlights their concerns about the open border under the Biden administration and calls for border security to be prioritized before providing aid to Ukraine. The senators emphasize the national and homeland security threats posed by the open border and urge Republicans to use any leverage available to secure the border and protect American citizens.

To find out more, go to this link: https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/2023/12/sens-johnson-and-scott-for-fox-news-before-biden-gives-one-more-dime-to-ukraine-he-must-first-secure-our-border