Lummis Wants States to Help Secure U.S. Borders

By Staff – 25 July ’14

This week, U.S. Representative Cynthia Lummis signed onto H.Res. 675 in support of the constitutional authority of the governors of the states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California to take action to secure the international border of the United States within their states. In addition to supporting gubernatorial authority, the resolution calls on these governors to deploy the National Guard to the border and commits to compensating these states for costs incurred in securing their borders.

“During this latest surge in the growing border crisis, the President has shown again and again that he will not act and we cannot afford to wait until he does,” said Rep. Lummis. “The federal government is under a constitutional obligation to defend the states, but the Administration’s inaction as tens of thousands of illegal immigrants rush our border only exacerbates a dangerous and real breach of state and national security that must be dealt with.

“Article I of the U.S. Constitution gives states the right to protect themselves against ‘imminent danger as will not admit of delay.’ We cannot afford to delay addressing the rush on our nation’s border, and so I urge the governors of the states involved to deploy National Guard units to secure the borders within their respective states both for their own security and the security of our country.”