TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is spearheading a multistate coalition of 26 attorneys general, demanding that Congress grant state officials the power to perform immigration functions when the federal government fails to act. The coalition's push comes as concerns over terrorism rise due to what they see as President Biden's "wide open border."
In a letter to congressional leaders, Attorney General Moody and the coalition outline the numerous crises that they believe the United States is facing as a direct result of the Biden administration's refusal to enforce immigration laws. The Southwest border is experiencing an influx of inadmissible immigrants, with over 7 million illegal immigrants entering the country since Biden took office. Shockingly, more than 280 individuals encountered at the border have been on the terrorist watchlist since fiscal year 2021.
Attorney General Moody expressed her concerns, stating, "On day one, Biden began intentionally dismantling our public safety immigration structure. This is not only in direct conflict with federal law, but it has also put Americans' safety in jeopardy. Deadly fentanyl is freely flowing into our country with the cartels maintaining operational control of the border, killing hundreds of thousands of our citizens."
The coalition's letter calls for Congress to pass the Immigration Enforcement Partnership Act of 2023, or H.R. 1337, which would grant state attorneys general the authority to request that the Department of Homeland Security fulfill certain duties related to immigration enforcement. If DHS fails to meet the requirements of the bill, state attorneys general would have the option to sue the department.
Attorney General Moody emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, "Congress must pass the Immigration Enforcement Partnership Act and allow states to do the job Biden refuses to do—as the terror threat continues to grow—secure the border and protect Americans."
The letter also acknowledges the efforts made by Florida in taking the Biden administration to court and winning on multiple occasions. However, Attorney General Moody believes that more needs to be done, as the judicial system alone is not equipped to address the crisis quickly.
The coalition consists of attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Attorney General Moody is calling on Congress to act swiftly and give the Immigration Enforcement Partnership Act a hearing. She believes that allowing states to step in where the federal government has failed could prevent another record-breaking year of encounters at the border.
The full letter can be accessed [here](link).
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For additional details, please follow this link: https://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrelease/bidens-wide-open-border-causes-terrorism-concerns-ag-moody-leads-multistate-coalition