Bill Flores: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise to oppose the previous question so that we can immediately…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise to oppose the previous question so that we can immediately consider H.R. 471, Representative Yvette Herrell's bill, to enforce title 42 at the border. As a Mexican-born legal immigrant, Border Patrol wife, and a mother, I know firsthand how out of control our border crisis is. Our south Texas communities are hurting because of this crisis, and our people feel totally ignored by our government. Dangerous drugs are pouring across the border. Eighty percent of the fentanyl killing Americans comes into our country at the southern border. Human traffickers are taking advantage of our open border to conduct their evil and heartbreaking trade. Criminal organizations are in total control of our southern border. Last month alone, 240,000 illegal immigrants were encountered entering our country, a new record. And those are just the people who were caught. The true number is undoubtedly far higher. And in 2022 so far, 50 people on the FBI's terror watch list have been arrested by the Border Patrol. That is higher than the previous 5 years combined. Title 42 is one of the only things keeping the crisis at the border from getting even worse, allowing Border Patrol the flexibility to expel some illegal immigrants quickly. And yet, for some inexplicable reason, President Biden and the Democrats want to end title 42 for good. Doing this would put out an even larger welcome sign to drug, sex, and human traffickers.…”