New Mexico Senators back border security bill

Two United States Senators from New Mexico are among those who recently introduced legislation to address the country's southern border.

U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján, D-New Mexico, and Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, joined U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senator Gary Peters, D-Michigan, to introduce the bill.

It would provide funding for federal border agents and communities responding to an increase in asylum seekers admitted into the country because of Title 42 expiring.

“This legislation is crucial to help ensure that border communities and DHS are prepared to handle an influx of migrants at the border. I continue to push in Congress for common-sense immigration reform that will invest in border security and honor our commitment to asylum seekers,” Luján said in a press release issued by his office. “Congress must work with the administration on border solutions, and I look forward to building support for this legislation alongside my colleagues.”

Heinrich called the bill a "Band-Aid solution", but a vital one nonetheless.

“Title 42 ending will have undeniable impacts, and it is vital that our local, state, and non-governmental organizations in New Mexico are fully equipped with the federal resources needed to ensure an orderly and humane process at the border,” Heinrich said in the release. “While this emergency funding will go a long way to support our frontline personnel and communities rallying together to help those fleeing violence and persecution, we know this is just a Band-Aid solution to our nation’s broken immigration system. Until we have comprehensive immigration reform, every other solution we use will largely be short-term and piecemeal. There is more work to do, and I’m committed to doing it.”

Senators Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Alex Padilla, D-California, Tom Carper, D-Delaware, Angus King, I-Maine, Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, and Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, also co-sponsored the bill.

The Border Management, Security, and Assistance Act of 2023 includes several provisions.

The increased funding for U.S. Customs and Border Protection would allow border patrol to hire more personnel and spend more on technological advances in hopes of securing the border, according to the release. The Senators hope this would help deter drug trafficking and criminals from entering the country.

It also aims to remove illegal border crossers swiftly, in part by increasing funding for immigration officers and judges. It would also increase penalties for human smuggling, drug trafficking, and illegal surveillance of border security personnel.

Additionally, it aims to improve the immigration process and support migrants and asylum seekers from countries like Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. It would increase spending on infrastructure and resources in hopes of better processing these people and making it easier for them to connect with the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program if they are facing persecution.

Plus, it would provide communities and non-governmental organizations that process asylum seekers throughout the United States with increased resources to ensure they can coordinate with federal agencies.

The bill can be read here.