Press releases

MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) visited the U.S.-Mexico border to witness the effects that the Biden administration’s reckless immigration policies are having on America and on vulnerable women and children at the hands of cartels and human traffickers.

Videos from the trip are available below:

Kennedy addresses victims of broken policies near border, video here.

I’m in southern Texas, Rio Grande Valley, the border is about a mile away—maybe a half a mile. What you see behind me, these children and these mothers and fathers and relatives, is a direct result of President Biden’s policies. President Biden adopted a policy that the smugglers take advantage of—that if you come with the child, who’s under six years of age, and you get here, you’re released into our country. 

“The smugglers all know this. And you can see all the young children, all under the age of six, all of these families paid money to a smuggler to get them here. Many of them were abused or violated or hurt on their way here. 

“But this is a direct result of President Biden’s policies, and it makes no sense. We need an immigration system that looks like somebody designed it on purpose, and this is not that. I mean it breaks your heart, and all of these people here have been used, and President Biden has allowed them to be used.”

Kennedy addresses smuggling operations, video here.

“We’re on the edge of the Rio Grande. Right across is Mexico. The lights you see there are smugglers bringing in families and children. They know the law. They know the change in President Biden’s policies. They know that if the child is six-years-old or younger, they will be released into the United States, and they will become part of the darkness in our country. They’ll go underground, and you’re not going to stop this as long as we practice catch-and-release. 

“If we did not release people from Mexico and the 54 other countries that came in last month—all these folks are not just from Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries; people from 54 countries came through—and they know if they bring a child six or under that they are released in the United States. 

“And as long as the President Biden practices catch (temporarily)-and-release, then the smugglers are just going to keep doing it, because they're making a fortune. I mean, you can hear them. We are literally talking to them, and, as soon as we leave, they’ll put the kids and the family members on the boat. They’ll come here. They’ll go up this trail. They’ll be processed, and then they’ll be released into the country.

“And it’s not just, once again, it’s not just Central American countries and Northern Triangle countries and people from Mexico. Fifty-six nationalities were represented, including the Middle East.”

Kennedy speaks at the border wall, video here.

“Behind me is the border wall, which President Biden stopped construction on. I’m not sure there are words in English to describe what my Senate colleagues and I have seen in the last day-and-a-half. Thousands and thousands of people flooding into our country, virtually unimpeded. Either President Biden believes in open borders, or the people he’s put in charge of his border policy are not qualified to manage a food truck.

“President Biden needs to come down here. He needs to put a stop to this. What you allow is what will continue. This isn’t good for the people coming in, and it’s not good for the American people. 

“If he doesn’t do this, President Biden is going to become known very quickly, if not already, as America's illegal immigration president.”

Kennedy commends Border Patrol agents, video here.

“We’re meeting heroes here tonight. These men and women that are trying to keep the border secure, their names aren’t famous, but their virtues are: sacrifice, hard work, patriotism, long hours. And that’s what we’re here for, is to say a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to them and also to their families. They all sacrifice a lot. God bless every one of them.”

Kennedy’s immigration legislation:

Thursday, Kennedy introduced several bills to make dangerous aliens deportable and empower immigration courts, includingthe Empowering Immigration Courts Act, the Terrorist Deportation Act, the Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act and the Criminal Alien Removal Clarification Act.

The Terrorist Deportation Act would make any immigrant identified in the terrorist screening database, with the exception of permanent residents, deportable. 

The Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act would make any immigrant who is a member of a criminal gang or has participated in gang activities deportable.

The Criminal Alien Removal Clarification Act would make any immigrant who has committed a felony or two misdemeanors deportable. Current law only includes certain felonies, such as aggravated felonies, and other specific crimes. 

The Empowering Immigration Courts Act would authorize immigration judges to impose a fine for contempt of court that is the same amount, $1,000, as the fine written in the criminal code. 

Kennedy also introduced the Ending Sanctuary Cities Act, which would give legal protections to local law enforcement officers who cooperate with federal officials. It would also withhold federal financial assistance from sanctuary cities that refuse to follow federal law.