Democratic Washington Rep. Kim Schrier slammed President Joe Biden’s handling of the border in a town hall in April, however, she has voted for several pieces of legislation that the Biden administration has pointed to as the answer to solving the border crisis.
During a town hall in Wenatchee, WA on April 20, 2022, Schrier was asked about the ongoing immigration crisis at the southern border, to which she said the Biden administration has no plan to handle the crisis and said she has let them know she is concerned with the number of migrants who have been flooding into the U.S.
“There is chaos at our southern border, and whatever we’re doing right now, it’s not working. Regardless of Title 42… My concern is that this administration, I don’t think it has a plan for what to do at our southern border. And we need a plan for an orderly and humane and thoughtful way to allow people seeking refuge and amnesty to make their case in front of a judge and for those cases to be heard fairly and promptly, and we don’t have that in place right now. They know that I have that concern because I have let them know that I have that concern,” Schrier said.
However, Schrier voted for three pieces of legislation that the Biden Administration believes would be the key to fixing immigration policies. In February 2021, Schrier voted for the NO BAN Act, which increase the Diversity Visas from 55,000 to 80,000. In March of that year, Schrier voted for The American Dream and Promise Act of 2021, which Biden released a statement saying the bill is a critical first step in reforming our immigration system and will provide much needed relief to TPS holders and Dreamers, young people who came here as children and know no other country. I support this bill, and commend the House of Representatives for passing this important legislation.”
She also voted for The Build Back Better Act, which would have fast-tracked certain immigrants into legal status.
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Other House Democrats have recently also shared their concern about what is going on at the border. Democratic Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin and Democratic Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger sent a letter to Biden’s administration expressing their concern about the border crisis, saying he should delay the decision to lift Title 42. (RELATED: ‘Too Little, Too Late’ — Democratic Reps. Elissa Slotkin, Abigail Spanberger Express Concern With Biden Border Crisis)
Tile 42 is a public health measure issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that allows the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to rapidly expel migrants on public health grounds.
Border agents encountered a record two million migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2021. In fiscal year 2021, they seized $3.31 billion in counterfeit goods, over 319,000 pounds of marijuana, over 190,000 pounds of methamphetamine and over 97,000 pounds of cocaine. (RELATED: Even Democrats Are Speaking Out Against The CDC Ending Title 42)
NBC reported that fentanyl seizures at the U.S. southern border are on the rise, with 41 pounds of the illicit drug being confiscated in a six-month period of time in 2021.
Other moderate Democrats are speaking out against the decision to end Title 42 such as Democratic New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Rubio Sends Biden Letter Slamming Decision To Pull Title 42, Enforce COVID Policies)
“Ending Title 42 prematurely will likely lead to a migrant surge that the administration does not appear to be ready for. I’ll keep pushing the administration to strengthen border security & look forward to hearing directly from border agents during my upcoming trip to the border,” Hassan tweeted in April.
The Daily Caller contacted Schrier about her comments and what she would like to see done at the border, to which they did not immediately respond.