Congressional investigators have uncovered evidence of over 10 million illegal border crossings during Biden’s term, with more than 662,000 of those individuals having criminal convictions or pending charges – a deliberate policy failure that lawmakers now declare cost American lives.
Key Takeaways
- A House Homeland Security subcommittee is launching hearings titled “Consequences of Failure: How Biden’s Policies Fueled the Border Crisis” to investigate the previous administration’s border policies.
- According to Customs and Border Protection, over 10 million people entered the U.S. illegally during Biden’s presidency, including 662,000+ with criminal records.
- Biden’s reversal of Trump-era policies, including terminating “Remain in Mexico” and implementing mass parole programs, directly contributed to the border crisis.
- The illegal immigration surge financially burdened American cities, with New York City alone spending $3.75 billion on asylum-seeker services in fiscal year 2024.
- Fentanyl trafficking surged during the Biden administration, with CBP seizing over 68,000 pounds compared to 20,000 pounds during Trump’s first term.
House Subcommittee Launches Border Crisis Investigation
The House Homeland Security Committee’s subcommittee is initiating a comprehensive investigation into what Republicans are characterizing as deliberate border security failures during the Biden administration. The hearings, titled “Consequences of Failure: How Biden’s Policies Fueled the Border Crisis,” will mark the first border security hearing of the 119th Congress. The investigation aims to dissect the devastating consequences of policy decisions that led to what many lawmakers describe as the worst immigration crisis in American history, examining both the immediate security implications and longer-term societal and economic impacts.
“There is no question that Joe Biden and his reckless administration created the worst border crisis in American history,” stated Rep. Michael Guest, highlighting the Republican perspective on the previous administration’s border management. The subcommittee plans to hear testimony from border security experts Lora Ries, Ammon Blair, and Jon Anfinsen, who will provide detailed accounts of the operational challenges faced during the past four years and recommendations for fortifying border security moving forward.
— Fluxiga (@Igwehenryfrank) February 21, 2025
Policy Reversals That Triggered the Crisis
The investigation will focus extensively on Biden’s systematic dismantling of Trump-era immigration policies. Within days of taking office in 2021, Biden terminated the “Remain in Mexico” policy that had required asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases proceeded through U.S. immigration courts. This reversal, combined with reinstating “catch and release” practices, effectively signaled to potential migrants that entry into the United States would face minimal obstacles. Border Patrol agents repeatedly warned that these policy changes were the direct catalysts for the unprecedented surge in illegal crossings.
“After just two months in office, the Trump administration has restored law and order at our borders. But this victory, and the historic crisis that preceded it, did not happen overnight,” said Michael Guest.
The Biden administration also implemented unprecedented mass parole programs through the CBP One app and created special entry pathways for certain nationalities. These programs essentially circumvented established immigration law by granting legal status to hundreds of thousands of migrants who would otherwise have been inadmissible. Critics argue these actions represented a deliberate strategy to increase immigrant numbers rather than a good-faith effort to manage migration flows, pointing to the administration’s consistent rejection of enforcement-focused solutions proposed by border states and congressional Republicans.
Devastating Human and Economic Costs
The investigation is expected to highlight the profound human costs associated with the border crisis, including American lives lost to crimes committed by illegal immigrants who entered during the Biden administration. Republicans have pointed to several high-profile cases, including the murder of a Georgia nursing student allegedly killed by an illegal alien who crossed during Biden’s term. The hearings will likely feature testimony from families affected by such tragedies, providing a powerful counterpoint to the previous administration’s claims that the crisis was simply a response to global migration patterns beyond their control.
“These failures took the lives of innocent Americans and led to the unimaginable abuse of vulnerable men, women, and children along their journey to our doorstep,” said Guest.
The financial burden on American communities has been staggering. New York City alone spent an astronomical $3.75 billion on services for asylum seekers in fiscal year 2024, straining municipal resources and diverting funds from citizen needs. Meanwhile, the fentanyl crisis reached unprecedented levels under Biden’s watch, with CBP seizing more than 68,000 pounds – over three times the amount confiscated during Trump’s first term. With fentanyl now the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45, lawmakers are emphasizing the direct correlation between weakened border security and the devastating drug epidemic devastating communities nationwide.
Sources:
- EXCLUSIVE: House Subcommittee to Examine Biden Admin’s ‘Failure’ at Southern Border
- “Part 1: Consequences of Failure: How Biden’s Policies Fueled the Border Crisis” | Congress.gov
