Congress' First Mexican-Born Woman Backs Border Security: 'It's the Right Thing To Do'

Miguel Daez | June 24, 2022
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Newly-elected Congresswoman Mayra Flores (R-Texas) spoke on the House floor on Wednesday expressing the need to tighten border security.

“As a Mexican-born legal immigrant, border patrol wife, and mother, I know firsthand how out of control our border crisis is,” Flores said. “Our South Texas communities are hurting because of this crisis and our people feel totally ignored by our government.” 

Flores proceeded to describe the border situation:

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.” 

Flores pledged her support for fellow Representative Yvette Herrell’s (R-N.M.) bill that enforces Title 42, a law which Flores said allows border agents the flexibility to quickly expel some illegal immigrants at the border. 

“And yet, for some inexplicable reason, President Biden and the Democrats want to end Title 42 for good,” Flores stated. “Doing this would put out an even larger welcome sign to drug, sex, and human traffickers. It would send the signal across the world that America’s border is open, and that the administration has no intention of upholding the rule of law. 

Related: Reps. Fallon, Pfluger Propose Bill to Reimburse Texas For Biden’s Border Failure

“I came to this country legally,” she continued. “And as did so many in South Texas, for the chance to live the American dream. My legal immigration experience as a child was incredible. That legal process is how it should be done, and I want more children to have that same positive experience.” 

She emphasized, “My experience should not be rare.”

Flores then encouraged focus on legal immigration making the process easier and more affordable for good people who want to enter the country.  

“And yet today,” she countered, “We have a federal government that encourages illegal immigration knowing the dangers that they will have to go through.”  

Flores became the first Mexican-born woman to be sworn into Congress this past Tuesday, according to Yahoo! News. She represents Texas's 34th congressional district, a district Biden won in 2020 by a four-percent margin. Her victory put an end to the Democrats' century-long reign over the Rio Grande Valley.  

She concluded her speech saying, “I believe securing our borders shouldn’t be political. It’s the right thing to do.”

 

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