Ossoff warns of terrorism threat at southern U.S./Mexico boarder

EL PASO, Texas — U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., warned from the U.S./Mexico border Wednesday of the threat of terrorism without bipartisan border security legislation. Senate Republicans blocked the bipartisan border security bill last week.

Ossoff also urged the Biden Administration to use its executive authorities to strengthen border security.

“The threat of terrorism associated with unlawful entry to the United States is real,” Ossoff said. “It is urgent. Congress must act, and the Biden Administration must use its executive authorities to the greatest extent possible to protect the nation.”

In Texas and New Mexico, Ossoff inspected the Paso del Norte port of entry, the area of operations for Border Patrol’s El Paso station, and detention facilities. He also met with U.S. law enforcement and national security officials and Mexican law enforcement officials in Juarez, Mexico.

Last week, Ossoff delivered a Senate floor address warning of a “grave national security risk” if the bipartisan border security bill was blocked.

In March, during a U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, Ossoff raised concerns with FBI Director Christopher Wray over the threat terrorism associated with unlawful entry through the southern border poses to U.S. national security.

In an interview with The Atlanta-Journal Constitution in December, Ossoff noted the failure to achieve compromise over the last decade, adding, “The disorder and chaos at the border is a real national security issue.”

And in January, after reports that Donald Trump lobbied Republicans to sabotage bipartisan border security efforts because he wants to campaign on the issue in November, Ossoff urged Republicans to defy Trump’s efforts to sabotage the bipartisan border security bill and again warned of the terrorism threat associated with unlawful entry at the southern border.

He has also worked across the aisle to advance and pass bipartisan legislation aimed at preventing fentanyl trafficking; adding more border agents; and deploying new technology to secure the border.

Last month, the Ossoff-backed bipartisan Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act became law, which will sanction drug cartels and combat money laundering by the criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking.

In April, he helped pass the bipartisan Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act through the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to strengthen border security by providing additional CBP officers to scan cargo for illegal drugs and guns or human smuggling.

In March, Ossoff introduced the Deploy Fentanyl Scanners Act of 2024 to help deploy scanners at ports of entry to better identify contraband, including fentanyl, being smuggled across the border through personal vehicles.

Last year, Ossoff helped pass the bipartisan Securing America’s Ports of Entry Act through the U.S. Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee, which would require U.S. Customs and Border Protection to hire, train, and assign no less than 600 additional CBP officers a year, until the agency’s staffing needs are met, to secure ports of entry across the country. He also helped pass the bipartisan Border Patrol Enhancement Act through the U.S. Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee to ensure U.S. Border Patrol can hire, train, and fairly pay law enforcement officers who are keeping our borders safe.

In 2022, Ossoff placed blame on both parties for failing to achieve meaningful immigration reform, saying “Democrats are afraid to talk about border security, and Republicans are afraid to talk about establishing a path to legal status for the folks who are here and otherwise follow the law who are part of our society. Until we’re willing to acknowledge that, and until we’re willing on that basis to pass legislation that secures the border and that addresses the undocumented persons who otherwise follow the law in this country at a time when we have severe work force shortages, we’re going to be re-litigating these same issues year after year after year.”

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