Senator Marshall from Kansas has taken the time to put forth an amendment to the Senate Budget Resolution. He is asking for illegal immigrants who are being apprehended at the southern border to be tested for COVID-19 before they are taken away. If these immigrants test positive, they are supposed to remain in quarantine at the border until they can provide a negative test.
This amendment is slated to be a part of Section 3 of S. Con. Res. 14. Senators John Cornyn, Susan Collins, and Jerry Moran have already offered up their support. Senator Marshall is not speaking from a place of malice, either. He is an actual doctor! His public health expertise is informing this decision.
Section 3 is designed to establish “a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to protecting migrants and local communities against COVID-19.” This amendment should have been an absolute no-brainer but there are a wide range of Democrats who are against it. It’s a common-sense decision that should have everyone’s support.
Sen. Marshall amendment relates to protecting local border communities against spread of COVID-19 by requires migrants encountered at the border to be tested before being transported
The vote was 88-11 with 39 Democrats joining all 49 GOP in voting to support the proposal pic.twitter.com/iUDWUdcPkr
— Mona Salama (@MonaSalama_) August 11, 2021
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Majority Whip Dick Durbin even voted yes on it. It’s straightforward, easy to understand and designed to keep us protected. Resources will be provided to test the immigrants and place them in quarantine. What’s the problem here? Durbin and Schumer are not dumb and they know that they need to take the proper steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our country.
Texans are especially at risk right now and they need strong politicians that are going to stand up for them. We need a united front right now, more than ever. Instead, the holdouts are making sure that the immigrants have a safe haven to continue to spread the virus. They are not the least bit concerned about the public health crisis that they are personally fueling at the moment.
“Sen. Marshall amendment relates to protecting local border communities against spread of COVID-19 by requires migrants encountered at the border to be tested before being transported The vote was 88-11 with 39 Democrats joining all 49 GOP in voting to support the proposal,” Mona Salama shares.
Salama also went so far as to share all of the names of the senators who are responsible for holding out. This is the type of transparency that we need at the moment. “The 11 Democrats who voted No on Sen. Marshall amendment requiring migrants encountered at the border be tested for COVID → Booker (NJ), Heinrich (NM), Hirono (HI), Lujan (NM), Markey (MA), Menendez (NJ), Murphy (CT), Ossoff (GA), Sanders (VT), Smith (MN) and Warren (MA),” she tweeted.
Marshall has also pointed out the level of hypocrisy that these Democrats are displaying, as they look to pass harsher mandates for Americans than they are willing to support for immigrants. The Border Patrol is currently so overwhelmed, they do not have the ability to test anyone before sending them along their merry way. It’s not a good system and Senator Marshall is not trying to allow this problem to continue.
We’ll leave you with this heartbreaking anecdote about the damage that is being done to local communities. Per senate.gov:
“This Administration’s policies of an open border and mass amnesty have created a humanitarian crisis, a national security crisis, and health crisis. At a time when politicians and bureaucrats are reinstating mask mandates and forcing vaccines on many Americans, their hypocrisy is on full display at the southern border where they are encouraging illegal migrants to enter our country unchecked for COVID,” said Senator Marshall. “Enough is enough. The passage of this amendment proves that Republicans and Democrats must stand together and follow through to hold the Biden Administration accountable and ensure illegal migrants are not able to be scattered into the interior of this nation without testing negative for COVID.”
“The humanitarian crisis at the southern border is becoming even more dangerous as illegal migrants risk spreading COVID-19 among each other and within the United States,” said Senator Moran. “The Biden administration has failed to address the humanitarian crisis, further exacerbating the pandemic. I’m pleased my colleagues voted to pass this sensible amendment to make certain all illegal migrants apprehended by our border patrol are tested for COVID-19.”
