– Today, U.S. Representatives Andrew Clyde (GA-09) and Clay Higgins (LA-03) led 50 of their House Republican colleagues in a letter to President Biden outlining the Administration’s hypocritical COVID-19 standards and demanding a plan on how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will test every migrant at the southern border.

“Since taking office, President Biden has remained idle while his self-inflicted border crisis spirals out of control amidst the coronavirus pandemic,” said Clyde. “Over 1.6 million illegal migrants have been apprehended crossing the border, yet contrary to the rules for legal international travelers, none are required to be tested for COVID-19 or show proof of vaccination. This blatant double standard flies in the face of logic and threatens Americans’ health. It’s time for the President to put Americans first by implementing a robust strategy to test every solitary migrant at the southern border - anything less is unacceptable!”

“Individuals entering the country illegally should not be coddled," said Higgins. American citizens and legal visa holders absolutely have a right to be treated better than illegal aliens. The Biden administration consistently puts Americans last. It’s insane that we have a President of the United States who lays down for criminal cartels and supports drug and human trafficking while persecuting and oppressing American citizens.”

Read the full letter HERE.

Cosigners: Reps. Rick Allen, Jodey Arrington, Brian Babin, Troy Balderson, Larry Bucshon, Ted Budd, Michael Burgess, Ken Calvert, John Carter, Rick Crawford, Dan Crenshaw, Rodney Davis, Jefferson Van Drew, Andrew Garbarino, Bob Gibbs, Carlos Gimenez, Garret Graves, Morgan Griffith, Glenn Grothman, Michael Guest, Brett Guthrie, Jody Hice, Richard Hudson, Ronny Jackson, Chris Jacobs, David Joyce, John Katko, Debbie Lesko, Nancy Mace, Tracey Mann, Peter Meijer, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Barry Moore, Markwayne Mullin, Ralph Norman, Steven Palazzo, August Pfluger, Bill Posey, Guy Reschenthaler, John Rutherford, David Schweikert, Austin Scott, Pete Stauber, Elise Stefanik, Fred Upton, Jackie Walorski, Randy Weber, Roger Williams, Steve Womack, and Don Young.

Background:

On October 25, 2021, the Biden Administration announced new testing and vaccination requirements for travelers entering the United States. Currently, no such requirements exist for migrants traveling to the southern border. Back in September, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testified before the House Homeland Security Committee that DHS was working to implement a testing strategy, but Congress has not yet received such a plan.

In March, Rep. Clyde introduced H.R. 2076, the “COVID-19 Border Protection (CBP) Act,” which would require the Department of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services to administer a COVID-19 test to anyone who attempts to illegally cross the border. 

Full text of H.R. 2076 can be found HERE.

Additionally, Rep. Clyde penned a related op-ed, “Stop the Spread at the Southern Border,” in the Washington Examiner. Read it HERE.

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