As the questions surround the nation's border security at the U.S.-Mexico border, Texas Representative Jake Ellzey (R) took time to give his thoughts on the border and the opioid crisis.
Rep. Ellzey was questioned about a government shutdown as well as its adverse effects on the American people.
“What I do tell people is, at the end of the day, if you’re really serious about border security — you pay the border patrol. What happens in a shutdown? They don’t get paid. Neither does the Coast Guard. Neither does the FBI that’s pursuing terrorists in our borders and overseas.”
“Shutdowns — they don’t save any money,” continued the Texas representative.
Rep. Ellzey made efforts to show that he was aware of the importance of passing CRs.
“The protection of the American citizens depends on a funding bill that addresses their needs.”
The Texas lawmaker stressed the focus that Texans have placed on their community and the issues presented by breached security measures at the Texas border.
“I think every community in Texas, it’s their number one priority. I hear that constantly, and it is. So, whatever happens on the border comes up through our interstates, through our communities, up in Tarrant County, which I have a part of, especially the human trafficking or the fentanyl part, every community’s affected by that.”
Representative Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-GA) recently pushed for Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas's impeachment, only to have it stalled in a successful bipartisan effort.
“So, we got to hold their feet to the fire because this is a policy issue, not a funding one. It’s about policies that will secure the border because there’s no money changing hands. It’s not an either-or for Israel, Ukraine or the border. It’s making them do their job, which is why Marjorie brought her [impeachment request].”
Rep. Ellzey claimed that many Texas lawmakers were in favor of refunding Texas for the "heavy lift" they've allegedly carried due to the border policies enacted by the Biden administration. The Texas lawmaker continued his statement with an endorsement of Representative Dan Crenshaw's (R-TX) often-criticized plan to use military action to stop cartels, illegal immigration and the opioid crisis.
“The threat of action often does enough to a government to make them take action on their own,” said Rep. Ellzey.
