On the recordJuly 10, 2019
I have been to the detention facilities in Yuma, Arizona, where I have seen the individuals who committed the crime of unlawful entry into our country, who have been detained, and who are kept in undeniably wretched conditions. The stench, the level of care, the inadequate training and facilities provided to our Homeland Security officials create conditions that are ripe for the vulnerable to be taken advantage of and to truly be harmed. The question is not whether or not circumstances have fallen below our standards; the question is what has led to these circumstances. The inability of my colleagues in the majority to reform our asylum laws so people aren't incentivized to come to our country illegally, bringing small children with them, is a stain on this institution. The inability to secure our border so we don't have 1 percent of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador moving into our country every few months is indefensible. And the inability to build a physical barrier or a wall to keep people from coming into our country illegally will ultimately erode the fabric of our Nation if we do not act quickly. We can resolve these problems. It wasn't too long ago the Democrats used to agree with us on this stuff. ____________________
