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Nielsen Tells Joyce Wall Would Help Curb Drug Crisis

October 6, 2020

13th District Lawmaker Questions Homeland Security Secretary During Committee Hearing

During today's House Homeland Security Committee hearing Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen testified to Congressman John Joyce (PA-13) that additional physical barriers are necessary to stop the flow of illegal drugs into the country and combat the drug epidemic in Pennsylvania.

Watch Joyce's exchange with Nielsen HERE.

TRANSCRIPT

CONGRESSMAN JOYCE: I would like to thank you, Secretary Nielsen, for appearing before this committee to speak on the vital issue of border security, particularly on the southern border. The consistent inability of Congress to comprehensively address this matter has left you and the President with the inability to take the actions that are necessary to provide what we need for protection. Lack of border security has downstream consequences in our country, one of these I would like to focus on and that is the opioid crisis and the devastation and heartbreak it has created, particularly in my home state of Pennsylvania. I too have met with coroners. As a doctor, as a legislator, the opioid related deaths in my home state are on the upswing and are consistently above the national average. Some reports, as we have discussed, indicate that almost 90% of heroin is illegally smuggled into our country through our southern border. Secretary Nielsen, do you believe that a physical barrier is necessary in places of high risk along our southern border to stem the flow of narcotics into our country?

SECRETARY NIELSEN: Yes, sir. I do.

CONGRESSMAN JOYCE: Thank you. As a doctor, as a legislator, facing this incredible opioid crisis, watching families separated, watching children and young adults die do you and other experts believe that the construction of additional barriers and walls will help combat the opioid flow into our country?

SECRETARY NIELSEN: Absolutely.

CONGRESSMAN JOYCE: Thank you. I yield back my time.

Nielsen continuously stated during the hearing that there is a crisis at the southern border warranting a national emergency. Early this week it was reported more than 76,000 migrants crossed the border without authorization in February, an 11-year high. In 2018, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents seized 895,011 pounds of drugs at the border.

On February 26 Joyce voted to uphold President Trump's national emergency declaration, citing the need to combat the drug crisis and ensure America's sovereignty.

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