Ranking Member Garcia’s Opening Statement at Subcommittee Hearing Examining the Biden-Harris Administration’s Border Policies

Washington, D.C. (September 25, 2024)—Below is Ranking Member Robert Garcia’s opening statement, as prepared for delivery, at today’s Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs hearing on border security.

Opening Statement
Ranking Member Robert Garcia
Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs
“The Border Crisis: The Cost of Chaos”
September 25, 2024 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

We all want a safe and secure border.  We know what doesn’t work—kids in cages, Muslim bans, and undermining our asylum system.  And we know how we can achieve that goal—a comprehensive approach that balances border security with legal pathways to ensure an orderly and humane process.

We support legal immigration because we are a nation of immigrants.  Immigrants are some of the most patriotic people in our country.  They make our communities stronger.  They work hard.  They build our country.

I came to this country as a young child—and when I raised my right hand to become a citizen, it was the proudest moment of my life.

We’re going to hear testimony today from a witness who worked with Stephen Miller and Tom Cotton on legislation which would have cut legal immigration in half.

So, let’s be clear about why we’re really discussing this today—Donald Trump thinks bashing immigrants will win him the election.

Two weeks ago, during his humiliating debate performance—when Donald Trump was too scared and embarrassed to even look at Vice President Harris, the former president repeated a manufactured conspiracy about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. 

"They're eating the dogs, the people that came in, they're eating the cats," 

"They're eating the pets of the people that live there, and this is what's happening in our country, and it's a shame."

Now let’s be clear: the Republican Governor of Ohio, the Mayor, City manager and even the woman who originally started the rumors of pets going missing all say this story was completely false.

But the Trump campaign, JD Vance and members of our committee have all continued to amplify it.

And it gets worse.  We know the Haitian immigrants in Springfield are overwhelmingly here legally. 

But that has not stopped JD Vance from threatening to revoke their status to allow his mass deportation agenda.

Donald Trump’s rhetoric has been dividing us and stoking anti-immigrant hate since he first came down his escalator in 2015 to announce that Mexicans were rapists and murderers.

He says families like mine poison the blood of our country.

This is disgusting and should be condemned by everyone in this room.

I’m glad to say the American people aren’t buying it.  A CBS poll found that only 1/3rd of voters approve of Trump’s claims.  Almost 65% believe the claims are false.

So maybe that is why the majority is here today for another political hearing designed to try to stoke people’s fears.

Here are the facts: 

Donald Trump isn’t interested in border security, just in political stunts.

The Biden-Harris administration has taken robust action to secure our border.

There is no immigrant crime wave—and in fact, our nation is far safer today than when Donald Trump left office.

And finally, immigrants are the backbone of our county.  They make our country safer, stronger and better.

I yield back.

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