A modernized immigration policy requires clarity and rule of law
The Biden administration’s border policy wasn’t humane; it was a disaster.
The border provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill represent a necessary step back toward normal.
America’s security depends on the safe and lawful entry of people and goods. Without clear rules and firm border enforcement, communities are destabilized, desperate people seeking better lives are more easily exploited, and the immigration system collapses.
Unfortunately, the legal immigration system in the United States has been broken for decades. And the Biden administration’s reckless rhetoric and failure to enforce immigration laws made matters worse — fueling record-breaking illegal border crossings.
The result was the worst border crisis in our nation’s history — one marked by chaos, emboldened cartels, and harm to both migrants and American communities.
Congress needs to create a modern immigration system that is orderly and humane — one that reflects our nation’s history and values.
Securing the border is the first step toward that goal.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF POROUS BORDERS
American communities and migrants themselves bore the brunt of President Biden’s neglect of border security.
American families paid the price:
- Schools, hospitals, and housing in border towns and in some locations across the U.S. were overwhelmed and under strain
- Local law enforcement was stretched thin responding to medical emergencies
- Border chaos made it easier for smugglers to flood fentanyl and narcotics into our nation, fueling record overdose deaths
And for migrants seeking a better life for themselves and their families, reckless rhetoric encouraging mass border crossings and weak enforcement left many susceptible to the frivolities of smugglers and drug cartels.
Stories of migrants being assaulted, robbed, and abandoned in dangerous terrain by the people who promised to lead them to freedom were common. A system with no clear rules and lackluster enforcement leaves the most desperate vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
A BETTER WAY FORWARD
A secure border is essential not only for national security and to uphold the rule of law, but also to safeguard the rights of American citizens and allow lawmakers to focus on creating a better immigration system.
But we won’t fix our leaking borders until we first change our policies. AFP has been consistently clear: We need more Border Patrol agents, barriers in strategic locations, and advanced surveillance technology across the southern border.
In fact, we created a framework to guide lawmakers’ immigration reform efforts called the Four Pillars of Border Security and Visa Reform. Our very first pillar calls for securing the border by leveraging the expertise of local Border Patrol leadership.
We must eliminate incentives for people to cross our borders illegally and encourage people who want to come, whether permanently or temporarily, to do it the right way. True border security is the most foundational step in that process.
THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT HELPS SECURE OUR BORDERS
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed the House and is being deliberated in the U.S. Senate, does more than protect taxpayers from massive tax hikes. It delivers on several important fronts.
The bill takes critical steps to restore security at our borders:
- It invests billions to complete construction of President Trump’s border wall
- Includes funding for new Border Patrol agents and customs officials
- Includes funding for roads and upgraded technology
A secure border protects Americans and provides a safer, clearer immigration system. We still have a long way to go, but the reconciliation bill being considered by the Senate is an important first step toward a far more rational immigration system.
But your senators need to know that you support it.
Click here to let your senators know you want them to vote for secure borders. Tell them to support the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
