26 attorneys general demand congress grant state officials power to perform immigration functions

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) – Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador joined Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and 24 other attorneys general in pushing Congress to grant state officials the power to perform immigration functions when the Biden administration refuses—as is happening right now at the nation’s border with Mexico.

The Southwest border continues to see record-breaking numbers of undocumented immigrants – over seven million since the beginning of the Biden Administration.

The most recent statistics released by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol show 269,735 encounters in September 2023 alone.

“The growing problem on our Southern border is both a national security crisis and a humanitarian crisis,” Attorney General Labrador said. “Idaho, like every other state, is neither blind nor immune to the problems that open borders are causing in our communities. We have millions of illegal immigrants that have walked across our wide open borders. We have drug cartels and human traffickers exploiting those open borders and profiting from misery, addiction and desperation. Lastly, we have documented terrorists crossing into our country. We cannot afford continued delays and finger-pointing when addressing this critical issue. Our national security, the health of our communities, and the lives of profoundly vulnerable people are at risk from this inaction.”

The letter lays out an urgent request for Congress to pass the Immigration Enforcement Partnership Act of 2023, or H.R. 1337. The letter states: “Had Congress acted sooner, the U.S. might not be setting yet another record for CBP encounters at the border. We will never know, but if we take action now to give states the authority to do the job Biden and Mayorkas refuse to do, we could prevent another record next year.”

The Immigration Enforcement Partnership Act “authorizes a state attorney general to request in writing that the Department of Homeland Security adequately fulfill certain duties related to immigration enforcement. Within 30 days of receiving such a request, DHS must ensure that such duties are adequately fulfilled by DHS officers and employees or authorize that state’s officials to fulfill such duties. The state attorney general may sue DHS for failure to meet this bill’s requirements.”

You can read the full letter here.