Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Today, Chairman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) introduced multiple commonsense amendments aimed at bolstering our national security to this year’s National Defense Act Authorization (NDAA), which will be considered on the House floor later this week. 

“The first and most important job of the federal government is to protect our citizens, defend our freedom, and provide for a common defense,” said Arrington. “Sadly, our most imminent security threat to the United States today is self-inflected.  President Biden’s refusal to secure the border and enforce the laws of the land have imperiled the safety of our citizens with criminals, drugs, and terrorist threats pouring into our country. I’ll never stop fighting to ensure our brave law enforcement officers – from our borders to our military bases – have the resources and tools they need to safely and effectively do their jobs and protect the American people.” 

Arrington introduced amendments to:

• Make any alien crossing the border that charges against the National Guard or a defensive border barrier automatically ineligible for claiming asylum or requesting any other type of immigration status and require they be deported within 72 hours after apprehension.

• In March, over 100 illegal immigrants charged and overran  Texas National Guardsmen in El Paso. In May, the charges against the illegal immigrants were dropped.

• Require that any alien apprehended for attempting to illegally breach a military base have their immigration status revoked indefinitely and be deported within 72 hours.

• In May, two Jordanian nationals illegally in the country attempted to breach Marine Corps Base Quantico. 
• Additionally, in May, Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas was breached twice, first by a 17-year-old Mexican National and then by a suspected human trafficker. 

• Double the penalty imposed for breaching a military base under 18 USC 1382.

• Currently, the penalty is up to six months in prison. This amendment would double the maximum penalty to a year. 

• Require Congressional briefing from the Department of Defense on attempted base breaches since 2021.

• Bar any Department of Defense funds from being used to operate aircraft to transport Palestinian refugees to the United States. 

Already incorporated in this year’s NDAA are two of Arrington’s amendments honoring 19-year-old Lubbock native Private Second Class Caleb “Smitty” Smither, who died on active duty at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. These amendments (1) direct the Army to report to Congress on the implementation and enforcement of the “Smitty Check” protocol, which was developed in response to Caleb Smither’s death, requiring the Army to thoroughly monitor service members following an injury and (2) require the Department of Defense disclose on medical records whether a service member received care from a Department of Defense doctor or a civilian doctor. 

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