WASHINGTON D.C. - Congress returns home this week for a three-week Easter district work period. It’s been a busy district work period, but I always look forward to travelling throughout my district to see and hear firsthand all that is taking place.

Rep. Gosar Visits Yuma to Patrol, Examine and Inspect Our Southern Border:

Earlier this week, I was down in Yuma, patrolling, examining and inspecting our border. You may have heard last week that I invited Mr. Biden to visit Yuma. I’ve not heard back. What a mess Mr. Biden’s open border policies have created. In just a few short months, the number of apprehensions increased from 25 illegal aliens per day to more than 375 per day by our hardworking agents from the Yuma Sector Border Patrol. 

What I saw this week in Yuma wasn’t happening two months ago. It is evident that we have ceded operational control of the border to the cartels. Nothing comes across the border without the approved consent of the drug cartels. In February alone, the drug cartels earned more than $400 million trafficking illegal aliens across the border. The Biden administration is rewarding the cartels, human traffickers and coyotes whose main business has become smuggling human across our border.

The first step to resolving this crisis is for the Biden Administration to actually recognize it is a crisis. Unfortunately, Mrs. Harris just laughs it off and Mr. Biden refuses to acknowledge it is a crisis. This is no a laughing matter. It’s long past time this Administration begin to take this crisis seriously.

Congressman Gosar Meets with Yuma Sector Border Patrol Chief Clem:

Following my tour of the southern border, I stopped by the Yuma Sector Border Patrol and spent more than two hours meeting with Chief Clem. The men and women of the Yuma Sector are doing the very best they can. Unfortunately, resources are being spread thin. Facilities are over capacity. Worse, border agents are being pulled away from their primary mission of being in the field and along the border and are instead spending countless hours back in the office processing paperwork or guarding temporary structures being used to handle the overcrowded facilities.  

During my visit with Chief Clem, I saw first-hand the overcrowded facilities. I also saw hundreds of illegal aliens being detained, including women with babies and unaccompanied minors. Sadly, because Mr. Biden refuses to enforce our immigration laws, 72 hours after the illegal aliens are processed, they are often turned over to a local non-governmental organization. Where they go next is anyone’s guess.

In eight short weeks, the Biden Administration has destroyed all of President Trump’s progress in securing the southern border. Just think about this: if Mr. Biden had done absolutely NOTHING eight weeks ago, we would be so much better off today. All he had to do was to continue the progress of securing our southern border established under President Trump.

We have one of the worst border crises in 20 years, and Mr. Biden needs to own this. Border communities, like Yuma, need action now. The crisis is growing worse by the day.

I am grateful to Chief Clem and the men and women who work tirelessly every day to protect our border. Thanks, Chief, keep up the good work!

Rep. Gosar Cosponsors Real Immigration Reform Legislation:

As I saw this week during my tour of the southern border in Yuma, Mr. Biden's decision to no longer enforce immigration laws, halt the construction of the border wall and cut border security has led to a surge of illegal aliens flooding our southern border. This, coupled with Nancy Pelosi’s amnesty bills taken up in Congress last week, will only exacerbate the growing humanitarian, health and security crisis along the southern border. It is shocking to me that House Democrats’ answer to Biden's border crisis is to take up legislation that would give amnesty, plus a path towards citizenship, to more than five million illegal aliens.

In response, I cosponsored H.R. 1883, the Protect America First Act which halts all immigration for four years, funds the construction and completion of the wall along the southern border, expedites deportations of illegal aliens, cuts off funding for sanctuary cities, rescinds Mr. Biden’s open border executive orders, and rescinds amnesty programs. Incentivizing more illegal aliens to unlawfully enter our country amidst a pandemic is similar to pouring gasoline on a wildfire. 

In my meeting with Chief Clem this week in Yuma, he mentioned the importance of utilizing promising DNA technology as tool in combating trafficking and preventing fraudulent claims of familial relationships by aliens caught crossing the border illegally. Chief Clem mentioned that in many cases, the mere threat of taking a DNA test is often sufficient enough to cause an illegal alien to admit they are being dishonest. 

That’s why this week, I also cosponsored the End Child Trafficking Now Act. This legislation would combat asylum fraud by requiring a DNA test to determine familial relationship between an alien and an accompanying minor. Those refusing a DNA test will be immediately deported and those caught falsifying familial relations would receive a maximum 10-year penalty.

In contrast to the Democrats amnesty bills, the Protect America First Act and the End Child Trafficking Now Act are two common sense bills that thoughtfully addresses our badly flawed immigration system.

To learn more about the Protect America First Act, click here. Or, to learn more about the End Child Trafficking Now Act, click here.  

House Committee on Oversight and Reform:

This week, I joined several of my colleagues and sent a letter to House Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney demanding she hold a hearing that includes Biden Administration officials to hold these officials accountable for the health, humanitarian and security crisis along the southern border. It is imperative that Congress and the American people know how the Administration intends to resolve the crisis they created at the border.

Click here to read a copy of the letter.

The Name of Your Dog?

After 65 days on the job, Mr. Biden finally held his first press conference. During his over one-hour rambling remarks, the American people finally heard for the first time the Administration's solution to the crisis along the southern border. What is it you may ask? Mr. Biden’s border crisis plan: "What is the name of your dog, young unaccompanied minor?" You can’t make this up.

During his press conference, Mr. Biden again denied there is a border crisis, saying he was "flattered people are coming." He then falsely claimed that the "vast majority" of illegal alien families are "being sent back." The real number is only 13%. He said he would not go to the border to see the crisis he has created because he "doesn't want to become the issue." When asked why his administration is denying the press access, Biden conceded he is purposefully waiting to provide transparency at border facilities until after the crisis improves. When asked how he would solve the crisis of unaccompanied minors crossing the border, he said Border Patrol Agents should "ask them the name of their dog."

It is painfully obvious that neither Mr. Biden nor Mrs. Harris have any serious solutions to the crisis he's created with his destructive open border immigration policies. Due to the surge of illegal aliens pouring across the southern border, communities in my state are being forced to declare states of emergencies. Illegal aliens are literally dropped off and wander the streets.

Biden's press conference was a joke. Unfortunately, what is happening along the border, despite Mrs. Harris's recent outburst of laughter, is no laughing matter.

Click here to read my statement following Mr. Biden's press conference.

Stemming the Bleeding of Biden's Border Crisis:

Earlier this week, the Mayor Riggs of Gila Bend, Arizona was forced to declare a State of Emergency in response to the Biden Administration’s destructive open border immigration policies. While Gila Bend is not directly represented by me in Congress, it borders my District and in fact, illegal aliens crossing via the Yuma Sector originate through my District and make their way to Gila Bend. Gila Bend is a small, border community with limited resources. The municipality lacks sufficient resources, including shelters and manpower, to deal with the massive influx of illegal aliens. 

I am in complete agreement with the Mayor that the situation in Gila Bend is nothing less than a State of Emergency, warranting a swift response from state and federal officials. That’s why I wrote a letter to Mayor Riggs offering my full support in assisting Gila Bend cope with this nationally, self-inflicted crisis that had been under control until a recent change in Department of Homeland Security policies.  

Click here to read a copy of the letter I wrote to Mayor Riggs. 

KYMA: Rep. Gosar calls on government officials to witness the crisis at the border

KAWC: Rep. Gosar visits US-Mexico border

KAWC: Gosar on border: Yuma being overrun with illegal immigrants

ALERT: Tax Season is upon us once again. If you did not receive a stimulus payment in January 2021 and you should have, or did not receive the correct amount, you may be eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 tax return. Click HERE for more information.

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