Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has called for bipartisan solutions to address the border security crisis the United States is facing at both the southern and northern borders. In a recent speech on the Senate floor, Senator Collins highlighted the alarming increase in encounters with foreign nationals entering the U.S. without authorization.
According to Senator Collins, there were a record 12,381 encounters recorded yesterday alone. She expressed concern that the current rate of encounters, averaging nearly 8,500 per day this fiscal year, could result in over three million encounters in fiscal year 2024. This would exceed the previous high set last fiscal year and would be more than twice the population of the entire State of Maine.
Speaking specifically about the impact on Maine, Senator Collins emphasized that encounters in the state have increased over 450 percent since fiscal year 2021. She shared a recent incident where a group of 20 Romanians illegally crossed into the United States near Houlton, Maine. Two of these individuals were flagged as Transnational Criminal Organized Crime matches and detained, while the remaining 18 were released into the local community.
The influx of migrants being released into communities is putting a strain on resources. Senator Collins cited examples of Portland, Maine, where more than 1,600 asylum seekers have arrived since January, and Sanford, Maine, which has had approximately 400 migrants arrive since May. These communities are spending significant amounts of money to provide food, housing, and other required assistance to asylum seekers and their families.
Senator Collins also highlighted the fentanyl crisis and its connection to border security. She stated, "Mexican drug cartels are using the chaos at the southern border to facilitate their trafficking operations. They are sending record amounts of fentanyl into this country – enough to kill every American many times over." Maine has seen a significant increase in overdose deaths, with nearly 80 percent of them being fentanyl-related. In the first 10 months of 2023 alone, 513 Mainers lost their lives to fatal overdoses, with 373 of those deaths being fentanyl-related.
To address some of the challenges faced by asylum seekers, Senators Collins and Kyrsten Sinema introduced the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023. This legislation aims to shorten the waiting period for asylum seekers who come through legal ports of entry to apply for work authorizations.
Senator Collins' call for bipartisan solutions comes at a crucial time when the United States is experiencing an out-of-control border security crisis. The increasing encounters and their impact on states like Maine highlight the urgency for action. It is now up to policymakers to work together and find effective solutions to secure the border and address the challenges posed by illegal immigration.
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Click this link to access more information: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/minority/senator-collins-urges-actions-to-address-out-of-control-border-security-crisis
