Fischer Statement Supporting the President's National Emergency Declaration

Statement

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement today announcing she will vote against the resolution to stop President Trump's national emergency declaration:

"President Trump is utilizing authority explicitly granted to him by statute to declare a national emergency, unlike President Obama whose executive actions often sought to unilaterally rewrite clearly established law. I agree with the president that the crisis on our southern border is a national emergency, and I support his ongoing efforts to keep our country and our families safe. I will oppose the disapproval resolution when it comes before the Senate."

Background on the Southern Border Crisis:

During FY17 and FY18 there was a 38% increase in methamphetamine at the southern border, totaling 248,000 lbs. Just last week, U.S. Border Patrol recovered 45 pounds of methamphetamine worth $1.4 million in the Rio Grande Valley, a high-priority area of concern for CBP's border security efforts. Nebraska State Patrol has identified meth as being the state's primary drug threat, and the DEA's Omaha Division had a 3% increase in meth seizures by law enforcement in 2018 from the previous year. According to a December 2018Omaha World-Herald article, "drug trafficking organizations from Mexico are the primary source of meth, while production in the U.S. is at its lowest level since 2000."
From November 2018-January 2019, there's been a monthly average of 50,000 people apprehended between ports of entry by U.S. Border Patrol on the Southwest Border.
In FY18, U.S. Border Patrol apprehended 6,259 immigrants in between ports of entry who had been convicted of crime -- including battery, sexual offenses, domestic violence, burglary, DUI, manslaughter, and drug trafficking.
In 2018, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported nearly 6,000 gang members.

Source