Kiggans Meets with Law Enforcement, Community Leaders at Southern Border

Feb 17, 2023
Immigration
Press
Public Safety

WASHINGTON, DC: This week, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) traveled to the Tucson Sector of the southern border and met with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, local law enforcement, residents, and community leaders to learn firsthand about the challenges they are facing due to the ongoing humanitarian and security crisis. The Congresswoman, along with Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (CA-20), Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), and Congressman Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), also received a security briefing about and aerial tour of the Tucson Sector from CBP agents.

“What I saw here at the border, what the law enforcement officers and local residents told me, was both heartbreaking and terrifying…from fentanyl poisoning their kids to the cartels terrorizing their streets,” said Congresswoman Kiggans. “Our weak southern border has put our national security at risk, as well as our communities, our families, and those wishing to come here for a better life. If we want to solve this crisis, we have to see the problems for ourselves, meet with people on the ground, and truly understand the complex challenges they’re facing. That’s where we start – that’s the foundation on which we can effectively work toward a solution.”

Congresswoman Kiggans also raised concerns about how the record-breaking amount of fentanyl coming across the southwest border is contributing to an increase in overdoses across the country, including among America’s active-duty service members. According to the Pentagon, from 2017 to 2021, 15,293 service members overdosed on drugs and alcohol and 332 died. More than half of those who died had taken fentanyl. In the first three months of this fiscal year alone, CBP has seized over 9,000 pounds of fentanyl coming across the Southwest border – enough to kill over 6.4 times the U.S. population.

“Far too many families have had their loved ones die from fentanyl overdoses that could have been prevented by a secure border, including our servicemembers,” the Congresswoman continued. “Fentanyl is a weapons-grade poison and last year, it was involved in 88% of all servicemember overdose deaths. Now it’s the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18-45. We need to give our law enforcement officers the resources and tools they need to defend our borders and tackle the threat fentanyl poses to our families and our national security.”

Congresswoman Kiggans also participated in a press conference at the border to discuss her meetings with law enforcement and local residents who are being impacted by the crisis. You can view her remarks here.

###

Recent Posts


Sep 25, 2024
Press

House Passes Kiggans’ Legislation to Preserve U.S. Coastlines

WASHINGTON, DC: Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed Congresswoman Jen Kiggans’ (VA-02) bill, H.R. 5490, the Bolstering Ecosystems Against Coastal Harm (BEACH) Act. This bipartisan legislation, which Congresswoman Kiggans introduced with Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-AL), aims to protect Virginia’s coastline by approving new, expanded maps under the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA).  Signed into law by […]



Sep 24, 2024
Press

What They’re Saying: 30+ Legislators Sign on to Kiggans’ Pay Our Troops Act

WASHINGTON, DC: Last week, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) announced the reintroduction of the Pay Our Troops Act, which would ensure members of the military are paid in the event of a government shutdown. The bill will protect members of the military, including the Coast Guard, as well as certain U.S. Department of Defense civilian employees and contractors.  […]



Sep 23, 2024
Economy

Kiggans’ Effort to Bring Microchip Manufacturing Back to U.S. Passes House

WASHINGTON, DC: Today, the House passed S. 2228, the Senate version of Congresswoman Jen Kiggans’ (VA-02) Building Chips in America Act (H.R. 4549). This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will help bring microchip manufacturing back to America while maintaining critical environmental protections in the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts.  Following the passage of the CHIPS Act, companies throughout the semiconductor supply […]