Just eleven months ago, our country was rocked by the news of the heartbreaking murder of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley. In the following months, we learned that her perpetrator entered the country illegally and was arrested at least once before he committed this heinous crime. In November, he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
In December, a woman was set on fire and burned alive on the New York City subway. A previously deported migrant has been indicted for her murder.
These horrific crimes forced us to face the facts: our nation is in the midst of a border crisis. The Biden Administration’s open border policies are not only dangerous but are putting every community unnecessarily at risk. The reality is these deaths were preventable.
That’s why I championed the Laken Riley Act, which just passed the House, to ensure law enforcement has every tool necessary to prevent these senseless tragedies.
While this is a step in the right direction to keep our communities safe, there is still work to be done. We must secure our Southern Border now.