Yavapai News

U.S. Representative Eli Crane is advocating for the approval of H.R. 2, known as the "Secure the Border Act of 2023," following the release of statistics by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) concerning the impact of illegal immigration on Arizona. The congressman's push for legislative action is driven by his concern over illegal immigration's economic and social effects on his home state.

"Illegal immigration is costing hardworking taxpayers in AZ an extra $3.19 billion. The House passed HR 2 already. The Senate has an obligation to do the same.", said Eli Crane.

The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) recently released a series of worrying statistics. FAIR provided statistics indicating the annual burden on Arizona taxpayers amounting to $1,189. The reported cost per immigrant exceeded $5,000, with taxpayers' funds allocated to over $1 billion in education expenses and over $600 million in legal costs. The overall projected cost for 2023 is expected to surpass $3 billion, according to an infographic made by FAIR and posted to the X platform by Crane.

Beyond financial concerns, security issues have come into sharp focus due to conditions at the border. The ongoing border situation has caused lawmakers to express mounting concerns about various critical issues. Key issues include human and drug smuggling and the growing influence of cartels in the region. In Southern Arizona, drug trafficking, particularly of synthetic opioid Fentanyl which is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, has become a concern. To combat this U.S., Customs and Border Protection (CBP) employs X-ray scanning technology, drug-sniffing dogs, and detectives to detect and confiscate these drugs according to ABC.

With these pressing issues at hand, legislation addressing border control has been pushed forward. In May, the House of Representatives approved the "Secure the Border Act of 2023," and legislators are now advocating for its passage in the Senate. The proposed legislation aims to "resume construction on the wall, tighten asylum standards, criminalize visa overstays, increase the number of Border Patrol Agents, and ensure that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has access to the criminal history databases of all countries of origin," among other provisions according to a press release from Senator Thom Tillis' office, a co-sponsor of the bill.

Other representatives have joined in voicing concerns about illegal immigration. "Illegal immigration is taking a massive toll on American cities," said U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, who represents Arizona's 5th congressional district, on the X platform. "NYC has become so inundated with illegal aliens that city is now slashing its public safety, sanitation, and schooling budgets. The America you grew up in is unrecognizable."

As immigration reform continues to be debated nationwide, organizations like FAIR provide data-driven perspective on potential solutions. FAIR committed to reducing annual immigration to sustainable levels—from one million to below 300,000—is led by Dan Stein, organization's President. The organization claims that immigration when kept within proper limits can have positive impacts. FAIR believes in respecting "basic human rights and dignity of all involved", according to organization's website.