Johnson Supports Resuming Construction of Southern Border Wall

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-SD) is an original cosponsor of the Finish the Wall Act with Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), which would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to immediately resume construction of the southern border wall. According to a recent report, apprehensions at the U.S.–Mexico border reached a 15-year high in March, with Customs & Border Protection (CBP) agents taking more than 171,000 migrants into custody.

Under the previous administration, illegal border crossings hit record lows. But illegal crossings at the border have reached unprecedented levels following the Biden Administration's halt of border wall construction, the Migrant Protection Protocols or the "remain-in-Mexico" policy, and the reestablishment of catch-and-release policies.

"Both sides can fundamentally disagree on how we solve the crisis at the border, but the data is clear, and many of the Trump Administration's policies at the border worked to mitigate the smaller surge we saw in 2019," said Johnson. "President Biden signaled that America's borders were open for business – and look where it's gotten us.

"While our southern border is in disarray, the Biden Administration halted appropriated funds for construction projects that worked towards securing our border. Congress already approved this funding, and this ongoing crisis has proven there is no reason to further delay – it's time to resume construction."

In 2019, Johnson worked to secure funding for border security amid a government shutdown. Additionally, Johnson traveled to the southern border in April 2019 to witness obstacles faced by CBP firsthand. Shortly after his visit, he worked with the Problem Solvers Caucus to secure funding for border security, humanitarian efforts, and increased hiring for CBP officers.