ICYMI: Ahead of Vote-a-Rama, Chairman Graham Calls on Senate Colleagues to Pass the Secure America Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, today delivered floor remarks to commence the Senate's vote-a-rama on the Secure America Act. This legislation fully funds Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol through the Trump presidency.

Graham has consistently fought back against Democrats' efforts to defund ICE and Border Patrol and has warned that such policies would trigger a return to the days of open borders. During his speech, Chairman Graham contrasted the Biden and Trump administrations' records on border security.

• GRAHAM : "The wake of open borders and irrational and irresponsible Biden immigration policy is wide and is deep. What have we been able to achieve in less than two years? During the Biden years, we had 5,110 people [apprehended on average] every day. … Where are we at today? Zero [illegal immigrants released into the country in 12 months]. Pretty good. So what do you get for your money? You go from 5,110 [average daily border apprehensions] to zero [illegal immigrants released into the country]."

https://youtu.be/FHanOFdFssU?si=FkVjRD0xXELHuFmP&t=31

In his remarks, Chairman Graham also described several violent crimes in South Carolina perpetrated by illegal immigrants over the past two years.

• GRAHAM : "Just in my state alone, in April 2026, a 12-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy in Spartanburg were killed by an illegal immigrant in a drunk driving car crash. One hundred fifty-six pounds of fentanyl that originated in Mexico, smuggled across the Southern border, the largest seizure of fentanyl in South Carolina history - enough to kill 36 million people. Hopefully that will be harder to do in the future. June '25, 72 illegal aliens at [a] Charleston night club, run by a member of a cartel, were arrested. University of South Carolina student, 21-year-old Nathaniel Baker, was killed in a hit-and-run crash by an illegal alien. A mother of two was murdered in Rock Hill by a group of six illegal immigrants. February 2025, DEA arrests four suspects in Sumter involved in money laundering for two Mexican cartels. And that's just the tip of the iceberg."

https://youtu.be/FHanOFdFssU?si=Up6wyBhhi2HfUtxD&t=88

Click here to watch Chairman Graham's full remarks.

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