SR 104 (LSB 6338XS (8) 90)

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 104

BY  WHITVER, DAWSON, ZAUN, REICHMAN, SINCLAIR, KRAAYENBRINK, ZUMBACH, BROWN, COSTELLO, DRISCOLL, LOFGREN, SCHULTZ, McCLINTOCK, GREEN, KLIMESH, GUTH, ALONS, BOUSSELOT, DE WITT, KOELKER, WESTRICH, J. TAYLOR, SWEENEY, GRUENHAGEN, DICKEY, SALMON, COURNOYER, EVANS, GARRETT, EDLER, WEBSTER, ROZENBOOM, SHIPLEY, and ROWLEY

A Resolution supporting increased protections for America’s borders.

   WHEREAS, on January 20, 2021, President Biden terminated the national emergency at the southern border declared by Presidential Proclamation 9844 and halted the funding and construction of the border wall; and
   WHEREAS, within Presidential Proclamation 10142, President Biden described the construction of the wall as “a waste of money that diverts attention from genuine threats to our homeland security” and declared that the national emergency at the southern border “was unwarranted”; and
   WHEREAS, despite President Biden’s subsequent legislative efforts to ostensibly modernize the immigration system and secure the border against criminal activity, the United States Customs and Border Protection reports that illicit fentanyl smuggling is increasing across the southern border; and
   WHEREAS, the amount of fentanyl seized by the United States Customs and Border Protection has increased by 860 percent since fiscal year 2019, representing a staggering 27,000 pounds recovered in fiscal year 2023 compared to just 2,545 pounds in fiscal year 2019; and
   WHEREAS, as written by the state of Texas Governor Greg Abbott on January 24, 2024, President Biden “has violated his oath to faithfully execute immigration laws enacted by Congress”, “instructed his agencies to ignore federal statutes that mandate the detention of illegal immigrants”, and “inflicted unprecedented harm on the People all across the United States”; and
   WHEREAS, the state of Texas has declared that an invasion has occurred under the meaning of Article I, section 10, clause 3, of the Constitution of the United States and has invoked its constitutional authority to defend and protect itself, leading the state of Texas to launch Operation Lone Star; and
   WHEREAS, Operation Lone Star has led to more than 501,300 illegal immigrant apprehensions, 39,800 criminal arrests, and 35,800 felony charges, successfully filling the dangerous gaps created by the Biden administration’s refusal to secure the border; and
   WHEREAS, under circumstances where the American people suffer due to the inadequacy of the federal government’s actions to protect the sovereignty of the United States, all other public servants must speak against such injustice and act decisively to rectify this problem; NOW THEREFORE,

   BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the Senate supports increased protection for America’s borders for the purpose of ending illegal immigration and smuggling; and

   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Senate supports the actions of Governor Abbott to safeguard the people of Texas and endorses the decision of Governor Reynolds to deploy Iowa National Guard and Iowa State Patrol personnel to secure the Texas and national border; and
   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Senate encourages the United States Congress to close the southern border and reinstate funding for and construction of the border wall; and
   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Senate condemns President Biden’s executive actions relating to the southern border and urges for the reinstatement of federal Executive Order 13768 and Presidential Proclamation 9844.