Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5207, the Immigration Advisory Program Authorization Act of 2018. H.R. 5207 authorizes an important function within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Immigration Advisory Program, or IAP. Under this program, CBP deploys officers to overseas airports to advise law enforcement partners about certain passengers before they board U.S.- bound flights. This important program seeks to essentially push out our borders to prevent travelers who may pose a threat to the U.S. from ever boarding an inbound flight. Importantly, beyond simply authorizing the program, the bill requires CBP to notify Congress whenever a new agreement is put in place with a foreign partner. It also requires CBP to assess how the overseas deployment of officers may affect officer coverage at U.S. ports of entry. While I certainly appreciate the sacrifice made by officers serving abroad, I would note that this authorization is coming at a time when CBP has acknowledged that it is currently 4,000 officers short of what it needs to carry out current operations, both domestically and abroad. Mr. Speaker, there is continued bipartisan support for CBP to push out our borders to prevent individuals who pose a threat to the U.S. from making their way here to our country. H.R.…”