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WASHINGTON, September 13, 2021 — United States Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04) today offered an amendment at the House Judiciary Committee vote on the Judiciary provisions of the Democrat $3.5 trillion spending bill that would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to give notice and get approval from governors and localities before it can transport illegal immigrants into their jurisdictions.

Read Congressman Johnson’s remarks below and read the text of the amendment here.

“Our nation faces a health, humanitarian, and national security crisis at our southern border.

“Make no mistake, this is a direct result of the Biden Administration's dangerous immigration policies that favor illegal immigrants over the American people he swore to protect.

“By any objective measure, the immigration crisis is a serious threat to the safety and stability of our local communities throughout the United States.

“In July, Customs and Border Protection officers encountered more than 200,000 individuals crossing the border, which was the most of any single month since 2000. So far this year, CBP has already recorded more than 1 million of these encounters.

“In late June, I traveled to the Rio Grande Valley with nearly two dozen of my Republican colleagues to witness this emergency firsthand.

“It is difficult to overstate the tragedies taking place every day as weary, poor individuals, many of them children, are subjected to a treacherous journey at the hands of human traffickers.

“Each day of inaction from our federal government compounds this suffering, with the toll felt not only by those seeking freedom, but also our law enforcement officials who have been forced to abandon their security duties to shepherd individuals to processing facilities.

“The impacts of this surge are also being experienced well beyond the immediate vicinity of the border region.

“In late July, a busload of 80 Haitian immigrants were dropped off by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, with no advance notice, in Shreveport, Louisiana, the largest city in my district. ICE gave no prior notice to any of our local, state or federal officials, or local law enforcement.

“I immediately contacted ICE for any explanation, and was told most of these individuals do not speak English, and have no concrete plans upon arrival.

“I was also told to expect many more busloads of migrants—from many countries around the world—to be dropped off in the days ahead. And they have been.”

“Since July, I have received no less than eight separate emails notifying me, my local mayor, and police chief that at least 187 more migrants from many different countries (including Haiti, Cuba, Brazil, Nicaragua and others) have been dropped off in Shreveport. More are certainly expected.

“This has been happening in cities around the country all year—and it is not a sustainable situation.

“My constituents did not volunteer to assist with the fallout of the Biden Administration’s failure to maintain the integrity of our southern border.

“To that end, my amendment would give states and localities the power to tell the Administration they won’t tolerate immigrants being dumped in their jurisdictions in the middle of the night with no notice from federal officials.

“My amendment will require the Department of Homeland Security to first notify and obtain approval from any mayor and his or her respective state’s governor before immigrants are released into their communities.

“The amendment also requires the Department of Homeland Security to notify Members of Congress when aliens are released into their districts.

“The Administration is trying to pass the buck to states and localities to assist these immigrants, many of whom come to this country with nothing but the clothes on their backs, and many are not even able to speak English.

“That is not the responsibility of these jurisdictions, and we cannot allow this, or any, administration to force them to act in their place.

“I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I yield back. 

Background:

After several busloads of migrants were recently dropped off in the Congressman’s district and many other jurisdictions across the country with no prior notice, the Congressman wrote to President Biden demanding answers regarding his Administration’s immigration policies broadly, and specifically, whether advance notice will ever be given to local officials for future drop-offs. The Administration has yet to answer.

Axios reported recently that approximately 50,000 illegal immigrants have been released into the United States without an official notice to appear in court.

The Congressman introduced his amendment during the House Judiciary Committee vote on the Judiciary provisions of the Democrat $3.5 trillion spending legislation.

The Congressman’s amendment was voted down by committee Democrats.

Congressman Johnson is the Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference, a member of the House Judiciary and Armed Services Committees, and a former constitutional law litigator.