Missouri Senator introduces State Border Defense bill

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has introduced the State Border Defense Act to empower states to fight back against President Biden’s failed immigration policies that are flooding America’s streets with deadly narcotics and enabling a rise in child trafficking. Senator Hawley’s legislation comes after the Biden Administration’s repeated efforts to undermine states’ ability to secure their own borders—including preventing the installation of a buoy barrier and razor wire along the southern border. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported a record 232,972 southern border encounters in August—the highest monthly total in 2023 thus far.

“Our southern border is overrun. Joe Biden’s dangerous open-border policies are making it worse every single day, leaving states like Missouri to deal with the consequences. Since the federal government refuses to enforce our immigration laws, states must be able to,” said Senator Hawley.

The State Border Defense Act would allow states to:

• Remove illegal immigrants from the country rather than sending them to other states
• Prosecute people who commit crimes while entering the country illegally
• Construct barriers on federal lands or waters along the southern border to prevent illegal immigration

Read the full bill text here.