At the end of last week, five Republicans in the Florida delegation–U.S. Reps. Byron Donalds, Bill Posey, Greg Steube, Michael Waltz and Dan Webster–sent a letter to President Biden requesting information on the “taxpayer-funded secret flights that transported illegal immigrants to the state of Florida.”
“President Biden’s policies have created a humanitarian and national security crisis at our border. Instead of tackling this crisis, reversing his failed policies, supporting our hardworking border agents and securing our border, Biden’s administration is transporting illegal migrants to other states in the dead of the night,” said Webster on Friday. “We know that gang members and traffickers are exploiting our open borders, but what we don’t know is whether these individuals are among those being resettled in our state. President Biden needs to provide these answers quickly and secure our border.”
“In further dismissal of the ongoing crisis on our southern border, this administration deciding to transport throughout the country in the middle of the night proves just how inept Joe Biden is at leading the nation,” said Donalds. “Due to Biden’s inaction, every state is now a border state. For the protection of our constituents and our state, my Florida colleagues and I demand answers on the covert resettlement of these illegal immigrants. The American people deserve clarity.”
“This administration must be more open and transparent about the crisis at our southern border,” said Posey. “Americans have every right to know how the influx of immigrants entering our country illegally will affect their communities.”
The letter is below.
Dear President Biden,
The state of the ongoing humanitarian crisis occurring at our southern border has reached dire levels. The surge of illegal immigrants seeking to migrate into the United States is at an all-time high, with the Washington Post reporting that authorities have detained more than 1.7 million migrants during the 2021 Fiscal Year.
The flights that your administration facilitated in the dead of the night to secretly transport illegal migrants is indefensible and another failed attempt to diminish the severity of the border crisis. Spreading the problem across the United States is not solving the problem and the authorization of these flights directly jeopardizes the health, security, and safety of every American.
Since assuming office, your administration has often blamed and criticized the Trump administration for the current state of affairs at our southern border. However, former President Trump’s acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf admitted that officials within your administration were properly briefed and warned about the dangerous and dire consequences that would result if President Trump’s immigration policies were dismantled. On your first day as President, you terminated border wall funding that was appropriated to complete construction of our southern border wall – of which nearly $1.4 billion has already been authorized by Congress. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents were left scurrying to address the sudden influx of illegal migrant crossings along a 2,000 mile stretch that makes up the U.S./Mexican border. Gaping holes, lack of proper attention to the border crisis, and a deficiency of resources has resulted in an exponential increase in attacks on Border Patrol agents by smugglers and drug traffickers alike.
In September of 2021, your administration defended not requiring illegal immigrants to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or the requirement of providing a negative test result – which only further escalates the extent of this humanitarian crisis. In a press briefing, White House Press Secretary attempted to justify your administration’s reckless decision to not properly medically screen the illegal immigrants surging our borders by expressing the belief that the migrants are, “not intending to stay here for a lengthy period of time.” However, the covert flights ordered by your administration in a botched attempt to cover up the gravity of this situation directly contrasts the false assurance Jen Psaki provided to the American people.
The reckless decision of your administration to secretly transport unaccompanied minors throughout the United States furthers the risk of smuggling and human trafficking. As a result of your administration’s open border immigration policies, it is expected that more than 100,000 unaccompanied migrant children will illegally cross into the United States by the end of the year. Hidalgo County Sheriff J.E. Guerra, which encompasses several Texas border towns, highlighted the massive profit drug cartels have made – specifically stating drug cartels, “making more money on humans than they are on the drug side.” Cartel traffickers are exploiting migrant parents by charging up to $1,500 per body and continue to take advantage of our immigration system on a daily basis. Every hour that our southern border remains open and vulnerable, the United States is fueling the inhumane smuggling of people and fattening the pockets of coyote members to the tune of billions of dollars.
The resettlement of illegal aliens in the State of Florida does not solve any of the consequences of your administration’s open border policy. Purposely keeping Americans in the dark regarding the travels of illegal immigrants risks public safety, wastes taxpayer dollars, and is a grave misstep in the name of justice. The burden of misguided leadership from elected officials should never fall upon the American people.
Your administration’s gross irresponsibility and mismanagement of this crisis endangers the sovereignty of the United States. The secrets occurring in darkness by officials within your administration must be brought to light. The responsibility of the Office of the President of the United States is to serve the People, not the best interest of illegal immigrants.
Mr. President, on behalf of the constituents within our districts and the entire State of Florida, we respectfully request answers for the following questions:
Was Yery Noel Medina Ulloa a part of the secret flights to Jacksonville, Florida? Ulloa falsified his age to enter the country illegally and made it to Jacksonville where he later allegedly killed an innocent father of four earlier this month.
Was the Governor of Florida notified prior to the arrival of the illegal immigrants?
What is the total amount of tax dollars used in the secret travels of these immigrants?
Whereas the arrivals of illegal immigrants were unbeknownst to the people of Florida, how many illegal immigrants did the State of Florida receive?
What congressional districts in Florida were illegal immigrants flown into?
We look forward to your response on this pressing issue.
Author
