Tennessee U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07), who is chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, delivered opening remarks Wednesday during the committee’s hearing to “examine the financial cost of the historic national security and humanitarian crisis at the Southwest border for communities across the country.”
During the hearing, Green began by detailing the “human cost” of the border crisis, including the victimization of migrants through forced labor, sex trafficking, and child exploitation; the devastation of record-high fentanyl deaths; as well as the immense pressure and stress put on Border Patrol agents and their families.
Green said, “There is no room for doubt – Secretary Mayorkas is making our communities more dangerous. His policies are putting American lives and livelihoods at risk. Biden and Mayorkas have implemented a radical agenda at the expense of the safety, security, and economic well-being of all Americans.”
Enough is enough. pic.twitter.com/UZ1G0sJGGL
— Rep. Mark Green (@RepMarkGreen) September 20, 2023
The Tennessee congressman then pivoted to the financial cost of the crisis on America.
“Over the past several months, this Committee has investigated how the Biden-Mayorkas border crisis has cost the American taxpayer. Our findings have been shocking,” Green said.
Regarding healthcare, Green cited a 2022 report by Congress’ Joint Economic Committee that reported that the opioid epidemic cost the U.S. economy almost $1.5 trillion in 2020. Earlier this year, according to Green, another report found that treatment for opioid use disorder is costing hospitals almost $100 billion a year – about 8 percent of total hospital costs – and fentanyl is a primary reason why.
In addition, citing data published by HHS, Green noted that Medicaid spending on “emergency services for undocumented aliens” in Fiscal Year 2021 alone exceeded $7 billion, compared to $1.6 billion in Fiscal Year 2016.
“Illegal aliens are taking up limited health care resources that should be reserved for Americans and other lawful residents,” Green said. “The majority of illegal aliens are uninsured, and use emergency rooms to receive care for all kinds of needs, from the routine to the severe. As a doctor and medical entrepreneur, I can tell you those costs are being passed on to taxpayers, increasing the costs of care for the rest of us.”
In regards to law enforcement resources, Green argued U.S. cities and states have also borne massive costs in response to the crisis.
“An increasing number of states are now also sending law enforcement and National Guard troops to the Southwest border to assist Texas and others, incurring hundreds of thousands, even millions, of dollars, in additional costs,” Green said.
Green also acknowledged the cost of educating, housing, and supporting migrants who enter U.S. cities after crossing the border illegally, saying, “Because Secretary Mayorkas has refused to comply with the law requiring him to detain illegal aliens, cities and states have been forced to pick up the tab.”
“This is just a taste of the devastating financial costs of Mayorkas and Biden’s crisis, costs being borne not just by the federal government, but by state and local governments, as well. And those dollars are ultimately being extracted from the wallets of the hardworking, tax-paying men and women of this country—all to subsidize mass illegal immigration,” Green said. “While families are struggling to make ends meet in a period of high inflation and soaring gas prices, our government is spending billions of dollars on aid for illegal aliens. This is unacceptable, and we all know it.”
Wednesday’s hearing, entitled “The Financial Costs of Mayorkas’ Open Border,” is phase four of the Committee’s five-phase investigation into the crisis at the border and Mayorkas’ “failure to do his duty to defend the homeland.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
