Stefanik: In Biden's America, 'Illegal Immigrants Come First. American Families Last' (January 30, 2024)

House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik summed up the border fight in one line. “Joe Biden, Mayorkas, and Far Left Democrats have failed the American people making their priorities crystal clear: Illegal Immigrants come first. American families last in Joe Biden’s America,” Stefanik said at a House Republican news conference on Jan. 30, 2024, according to her office’s transcript [1].

“Our country is experiencing a full fledged invasion with illegal immigrants pouring across our borders in record numbers encouraged by Joe Biden’s open border policies,” she said [1].

The video above shows Stefanik’s remarks on Jan. 30, 2024. Quotes are from Stefanik’s office, WCAX, the Clerk of the House, the White House and GovInfo [1][2][3][4][5][6][7].

”A Moment of Silence”

She opened by honoring three U.S. service members killed in what her office called “an Iranian-backed terrorist attack against U.S. forces in the Middle East.” [1]

“Good morning. I want to begin by taking a moment of silence to honor the three U.S. service members that bore the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country,” Stefanik said [1].

“We know that American troops are at risk around the world because of Joe Biden’s weak global leadership that foreign adversaries like Iran fear no reprisal for taking American lives,” she said [1].

”Over 8.3 Million Illegal Crossings”

Stefanik laid out the numbers. “Since stepping foot in the Oval Office, there have been over 8.3 million illegal crossings nationwide. Over 360 of those individuals are on the terrorist watch list. And this crisis is not going away. December marked the highest single month of illegal immigrant encounters at our Southern Border in history,” she said [1].

“From the Northern to the Southern Border, every single community has been turned into a border community and destroyed countless American families in the process. Whether that’s through fentanyl poisoning, rising crime, or displacing American students and taxpayers, like a school in New York,” Stefanik said [1].

“2.4 Billion Dollars”

She went after her own state’s governor. “In the last three months, just in the Northern Border which I represent in my district. The Northern Border has seen more illegal crossings than the total of both 2021 and 2022 combined, yet, you have Far Left leaders like New York Governor Kathy Hochul trying to force New York taxpayers to shovel out 2.4 billion dollars to subsidize Joe Biden’s border crisis,” Stefanik said [1].

She also called on Hochul “to join the 25 governors supporting Texas Governor Greg Abbott,” WCAX reported [2]. “Texas not only has the right to defend itself but must take a stand for the sake of our country’s sovereignty and future. I am proud to stand with Texas because this is not just a Texas problem. This is a national crisis,” Stefanik said, WCAX reported [2].

”The Last Line of Defense”

“Also, at home, border security is the most fundamental responsibility of a nation, and House Republicans are serving as the last line of defense to secure our border,” she said [1].

“As we speak, House Republicans on the Homeland Security Committee are marking up the long overdue articles of impeachment against Alejandro Mayorkas holding him accountable for his breach of the public trust and willful refusal to enforce our laws,” Stefanik said [1].

”The Architect”

The next day, after the Homeland Security Committee advanced the articles, Stefanik put out a statement. “The catastrophic Biden border crisis, which Mayorkas is the architect of, has turned every American community into a border community and destroyed countless American families in the process, including my home state of New York where illegal encounters along the Swanton and Buffalo Sector of the Northern Border have skyrocketed,” she said [6].

She closed the news conference with a promise. “House Republicans will not sit idly by while Joe Biden and Extreme Democrats refuse to do their job. In addition to pursuing the impeachment of Mayorkas, we are bringing four important bills to the floor this week committed to addressing Biden’s Border Crisis,” Stefanik said [1].

By the Numbers

8.3 million: illegal crossings since Biden took office, per Stefanik [1].
360+: of them on the terrorist watch list, per Stefanik [1].
$2.4 billion: what she said Hochul wanted New York taxpayers to pay [1].
214-213: the House vote impeaching Mayorkas [3].

What Happened Next

Mayorkas was impeached. On Feb. 13, 2024, the House adopted H.Res. 863, “Impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, for high crimes and misdemeanors,” 214 to 213. Republicans voted 214 to 3; Democrats voted 0 to 210 [3].

“House Republicans delivered accountability for the American people today when we impeached Alejandro Mayorkas for his willful and systematic refusal to comply with federal immigration laws and his breach of public trust,” Stefanik said that day [4].

Trump declared a border emergency. On Jan. 20, 2025, President Donald Trump proclaimed: “America’s sovereignty is under attack. Our southern border is overrun by cartels, criminal gangs, known terrorists, human traffickers, smugglers, unvetted military-age males from foreign adversaries, and illicit narcotics that harm Americans, including America.” [5]

The Laken Riley Act became law. On Jan. 29, 2025, Trump signed Public Law 119-1, “An Act To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to take into custody aliens who have been charged in the United States with theft, and for other purposes.” [7]

For the White House on the border a year earlier, see HYGO News’ page on May 8, 2023. For Hawley’s grilling of Mark Zuckerberg the next day, see the page on Jan. 31, 2024.