Rep. De La Cruz Voices Concerns to Newsmax: Senate Hinders Border Security Efforts

Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, told Newsmax on Monday the House has provided the Democrat-controlled Senate with significant border security legislation, but Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., refuses to push it forward.

That includes the Secure the Border Act, or H.R.2, which the House passed in May, and the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act, a bill co-sponsored by De La Cruz that passed the House last week 271-154. The bill is named after a Border Patrol agent killed in a high-speed chase in 2022 while pursuing a group of illegal immigrants in Texas.

It establishes new federal criminal offenses for operating a motor vehicle within 100 miles of the U.S. border while fleeing from a Border Patrol agent or a federal, state, or local law enforcement officer assisting the Border Patrol. It also establishes criminal penalties for an offense resulting in death or serious bodily injury to a Border Patrol agent.

“We grieve not only for this family but for other law enforcement families who’ve lost their loved ones because of Joe Biden’s open border,” De La Cruz told “American Agenda.” “What this bill does is it fully prosecutes and punishes criminals who intentionally flee or fail to yield to Border Patrol agents and law enforcement officers who are helping Border Patrol agents.

“Right now we have a major crisis on our border, and this bill stands with our Border Patrol and Custom agents and our law enforcement officers.”

Instead of addressing the Secure the Border Act, the Biden administration pressed the Senate to pass a bill that ties border security to $60 billion in aid to Ukraine, plus billions in aid to Israel and Taiwan. But the bill was criticized as light on border security and didn’t even reach the Senate floor. De La Cruz said she doesn’t expect the Gonzalez bill will see the light of day in the Senate, even though 56 Democrats voted for it.

“We have just seen failure upon failure with the Senate,” De La Cruz said. “In fact, House Republicans passed H.R.2, the Secure the Border Act, back in May of last year. Nine months it has been sitting on Chuck Schumer’s desk, and he has done nothing with it. Absolutely nothing.

“I’m afraid to tell you the Senate just won’t do anything with this bill. Again, Biden’s administration has failed us in every way when it comes to the border.”

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