“Addressing the challenges at the southern border requires Congress to advance comprehensive legislation that reforms our broken immigration and asylum systems, not temporary executive actions. TBC encourages President Biden and Congressional leadership to work together to address this decades-long challenge in a manner that ensures the safety, security, and prosperity of the border region and communities nationwide.
“TBC has consistently advocated for a more effective and humane approach to border security, emphasizing the need for additional Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, modern equipment at ports of entry, and safeguards to protect trade interests. We need secure, effective, and humane border management that can ensure the border region’s safety and prosperity while also maintaining robust trade with Mexico.
“The coalition stresses the importance of adequately funding the immigration court system to ensure the timely and fair adjudication of immigration cases and asylum claims. While the Administration’s executive actions aim to restrict asylum for migrants who cross the border unlawfully during times of overwhelming pressure on the system, these measures cannot replace congressional action to provide personnel, funding, and comprehensive reforms.
“TBC believes that to achieve the border goals desired by local communities and governments in Texas, we must implement meaningful immigration policies that reflect economic and social realities, such as the bipartisan Dignity Act, which includes expanding work visas, providing permanent relief to Dreamers, and reforming the asylum system without gutting it. Texas border communities know that achieving these goals will require a collaborative effort between the administration, Congress, and local stakeholders to implement long-term and sustainable solutions to address America’s border and immigration challenges.”
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About the Texas Border Coalition (TBC)
The Texas Border Coalition (TBC) is a collective voice of border mayors, county judges, and economic development commissions focused on issues that affect 2.8 million people along the Texas-Mexico border region and economically disadvantaged counties from El Paso to Brownsville. TBC is working closely with the state and federal government to educate, advocate, and secure funding for transportation, immigration and border security, workforce development, economic development, and health care. For more information, visit the coalition website at www.texasbordercoalition.