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ICYMI: Arrington, Babin Lead Texas Delegation in Press Conference on Recent Trip to Southern Border

Washington, April 20, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) and Congressman Brian Babin (TX-36) led a press conference with members of the Texas Delegation who made a recent trip to the southern border to assess Biden’s Border Crisis. 

Click here or on the image below to watch Rep. Arrington’s full remarks.

Excerpts of Remarks as Delivered: 

“I want to thank my colleagues from Texas for doing what leaders do. I think this is sad to have to remind this administration and our current president that leadership is listening, it's engaging, and it's acting in the interest of the people that you represent. We've had no border trip. We've had no press conference. We've had no responsibility, no leadership from our Commander in Chief.” 

“Let me tell you it's one thing to sit in the safety and comfort behind the walls of the White House complex or from a golf cart in Wilmington DE. It is a whole other thing to be on the ground with the people who are suffering the most as a result of the policies of this administration and the total abdication and dereliction of duty-the sacred duty to always protect the American people.”

“To see into the faces of these poor and vulnerable folks…to see the despair from the abuse…to look into the faces of our Border Patrol agents who were completely demoralized or to listen to Richard the rancher [Richard Guerra] and other private property or landowners there along the border who say they've seen unprecedented numbers of firearms, fences being cut, property being destroyed, dead bodies…What a shameful situation that we've been left with, but you have to listen to these folks the voice of the despair from folks along the border, who feel like their federal government has failed them.”

“I think for me the one experience that stands out the most was sitting at a table at the Carrizo Springs facility for minors… most of these young men are 17 years of age or older…I sat across from them with an interpreter... ‘Did you know you could come now? Were you aware of the election and the different policies of the different presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden’? The answer was clear, it was unequivocal, and it was consistent with everybody at the table that they understood with no uncertainty that President Trump did not tolerate illegal immigration, but President Biden welcomed it. Folks, that's the message and it's been heard loud and clearly throughout Central and South America. The rest of the world and our citizens and our families of this great nation are suffering as a result of it.”