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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke on the Senate floor about the national security and humanitarian crisis at the southern border created by the Biden-Harris administration’s reckless policies. Thune noted that congressional Republicans are prepared to equip President Trump with the necessary resources to secure the border and bring the crisis to an end.

Thune’s remarks below (as delivered):

“Mr. President, 10 million.

“Between official U.S. Customs and Border Protection encounters and known gotaways, there have been roughly 10 million migrant encounters at our southern border during the Biden-Harris administration.

“Now, to put that number in perspective, that’s roughly 10 times the population of my home state of South Dakota.

“10 million is more – is larger, I should say – than the population of Colorado.

“It’s larger than the population of Tennessee.

“It’s larger than the population of Maryland.

“Of Massachusetts.

“Of Indiana.

“And I could keep going.

“10 million is larger than the population of the vast majority of U.S. states.

“Mr. President, needless to say a crisis of this size has had consequences.

“Shelters have been overwhelmed.

“Border cities have been overwhelmed.

“Blue cities far from the border have been overwhelmed.

“Border Patrol agents are exhausted, as their chief noted in an interview last week.

“And I haven’t even mentioned the national security implications.

“There is no question that the chaos at our southern border represents a serious security risk for our country.

“And you don’t have to take my word for it.

“The Department of Homeland Security’s 2025 threat assessment notes, and I quote, ‘Over the next year, we expect some individuals with terrorism ties and some criminal actors will continue their efforts to exploit migration flows and the complex border security environment to enter the United States.’

“That, Mr. President, is from the Biden Department of Homeland Security’s 2025 threat assessment.

“The June arrest of eight Tajikistan nationals with suspected ties to ISIS who had illegally entered the country, as well as the identification of more than 400 migrants who used an ISIS-affiliated smuggling network to enter the United States, are just two examples of the kind of threats we face.

“Then there’s the fact that chaos at the border creates opportunities for cross-border illegal activity like the deadly trade in fentanyl, which affects communities around our country.

“My state of South Dakota is about as far from the southern border as you can get, but law enforcement officials consistently tell me that the illegal drugs that they’re dealing with have entered the country across our southern border.

“Mr. President, four years of record-breaking illegal immigration at our southern border under the Biden-Harris administration.

“10 million encounters – and those are the migrants that we know of.

“It has been a dangerous four years.

“But the end is in sight.

“When President Trump and Republicans take control in January, stemming the flood of illegal immigration will be one of our first priorities.

“Under Republicans, national security here at home – at our borders and in our communities – will be just as important as taking care of our national security priorities abroad.

“And we’re going to start right away with a once-in-a-generation investment in border security and immigration enforcement here in Congress.

“Among other things, that package will include substantial resources to increase the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and Border Patrol agents, increase detention space, and provide the barriers and technology we need to fully secure the border.

“There’s a lot of work to do – and a big mess to clean up.

“A recent article reported that there are around 1.4 million individuals who have been ordered to be deported but are still here in the United States – and most of them are not in immigration custody.

“And that’s just one small corner of the problem.

“As I said, we have a lot of work to do.

“But Republicans are committed.

“For the sake of our national security. And for the sake of our rule of law.

“Four years of record-breaking illegal immigration, Mr. President.

“But the end is in sight.

“Mr. President, I yield the floor.”