Press Releases

Following the release of the Senate’s immigration bill, Rep. Jack Bergman issued the following statement:

“I strongly oppose the so-called border bill that my colleagues in the Senate introduced. This legislation does nothing to stop the crisis at our southern border – rather, it normalizes and codifies it. With only roughly 17% of this $118 billion deal being allotted for border security, it is a clear failure and a stunning betrayal of the American people’s trust.

"This legislation neglects to include critical asylum reforms, gives bureaucrats blanket catch-and-release authority, permits the President’s abuse of parole, and bankrolls the transportation and housing of illegal immigrants into our communities with taxpayer dollars.

“President Biden has refused to leverage his executive authority to end the border crisis he and his bureaucrats created. Consequently, the House passed the Secure the Border Act (H.R. 2) nine months ago to put into place the necessary reforms to actually secure the border and end the present crisis. The Senate must act immediately and pass this bill instead of concocting half-baked deals that extend more authority to negligent Secretary Mayorkas and encourage Biden’s continual lack of leadership on the border.

“This bill isn’t a bipartisan compromise, it’s a bipartisan sham.”

Background

Rep. Bergman has introduced, cosponsored, and supported multiple pieces of legislation to secure our border and strengthen national security, and has also completed several trips to the southern border to see firsthand the challenges facing our Border Patrol.

Following one trip to our southern border in January 2022 where Rep. Bergman visited the largest illegal immigrant detention facility in the United States, he joined with Rep. Ben Cline (VA-06) and 80 other House colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) demanding answers related to President Biden’s failed Catch and Release program.

Bergman introduced the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Restoration Act,. This bill would re-establish the VOICE Office within the Department of Homeland Security, which the Biden Administration terminated, thereby ensuring victims have access to the partnerships, resources, and support they need.

Following the introduction of his legislation, Rep. Bergman stated, “With the Biden border crisis rapidly worsening, it's imperative we protect the rights of U.S. citizens victimized by illegal alien crime.”

Rep. Bergman also supported H.R. 2 (Secure the Border Act of 2023), and cosponsored H.R.6744, the No VA Resources for Illegal Aliens Act, in continuing his fight to put America and Americans first.

Most recently, Rep. Bergman joined Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican colleagues at our southern border in Eagle Pass, Texas to meet with Border Patrol agents and to again see firsthand the crisis facing our Nation.

Following the trip, Bergman noted that President Biden has failed to provide the resources needed for the Border Patrol to fully do the work they are trained to do, and urged the U.S. Senate to pass H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, immediately.