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The tragic suffocation deaths of 53 illegal border-crossers in a trailer truck in Texas are a horrific reminder that the Biden administrations open-border immigration policies continue to act as an irresistible magnet, pulling hundreds of thousands of migrants from countries around the world to risk life and limb in a dangerous journey to reach our porous southern frontier. The supply of would-be migrants is inexhaustible: people who put themselves and family members, sometimes even unaccompanied children, in the hands of criminal smugglers in order to claw their way into the developed world.

While they may be desperate, these illegal migrants still calculate their decision to travel based on the message they receive from the authorities in the destination country. And that message from the Biden administration is wholly irresponsible. Even in acknowledging the mass suffocation deaths, DHS Secretary Mayorkas, one of the chief architects of Bidens destructive immigration policies, still refuses to use his megaphone to tell people not to come because they will be turned back.

Unwilling to acknowledge any responsibility at all, Mayorkas tweeted: I am heartbroken by the tragic loss of life today and am praying for those still fighting for their lives. Far too many lives have been lost as individuals including families, women, and children take this dangerous journey. Mayorkas knows they take this dangerous journey because Bidens policies hold out the promise of gaining entry into the U.S.

In another era, genuine humanitarian voices on the left might have called out Mayorkass hypocrisy, but for those who want to harness open-border policies to remake the world, immigration, legal or illegal, is always rightregardless of how much it undermines the rule of law or disrupts families and communities, or, indeed, who dies along the way.

Instead of acknowledging responsibility for stoking clandestine immigration and the resulting chaos and death it causes, the Biden administration has gone full speed ahead, blurring the distinction between legal and illegal entry. As if current U.S. legal quotas, welcoming approximately one million annual immigrants, were not generous enough, many in the Biden administration are hell-bent on luring and admitting hundreds of thousands of clandestine migrants who have traveled on a dangerous journey to our southern border.

Once these migrants reach the border, the Biden administration twists existing federal statutes, using such schemes as catch and release and distorting concepts like public-interest parole, to allow them to remain in the country. It is more than sobering to see a president callously undermine due process, in effect telling lawful immigrants and their families in the U.S., who may have waited years for legal admission, that the rule of law in our country really does not matter.

Beyond their impact on the United States, another result of these lawless immigration policies is the emergence of massive international criminal-smuggling networks, which move people as chattel. It is not yet documented, but it is likely that during the Biden administration human smuggling has become even more profitable a criminal enterprise than illicit narcotics trafficking into the U.S. Such smuggling networks are responsible for countless unrecorded cases of human trafficking, extortion, disappearances, and death. Clandestine migration is not a victimless crime, and Mayorkas cannot pretend he bears no responsibility for these tragedies.

One lie often repeated about our globalized world is the claim that unrestrained immigration is not only desirable, but inevitable. But even a superficial comparison between Trump and Bidens border policies makes clear that a sustained and enforced message from the White House that the United States is not open to illegal migrants has far-reaching consequences.

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Deaths and disappearances of clandestine migrants in the Americas rose from 798 in the final year of the Trump administration to 1,248 in Bidens first year. These are non-partisan data compiled by the International Organization for Migrationno Trump allyon migrants worldwide moving into and across the Americas, most if not all of whom intend to enter the U.S. This increase in fatalities directly reflects migrants decisions to travel based on open-border policies Biden announced to the world upon his arrival in the White House.

If a president uses his bully pulpit and backs up his word with consequential border-security policies, his message will spread everywhere, from teeming cities in Pakistan to isolated hamlets in Ecuador. A truly humanitarian immigration policy would not lure desperate migrants to our border, but would convince them there is a legal process or no process at all. Secretary Mayorkas should explain why his broken heart does not move him to advocate for a change to Bidens anti-humanitarian immigration policies.

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Biden's Immigration Policies Are Killing People - The American Conservative

Austin, TX, July 6, 2022 Two men accused of smuggling 64 suspected illegal aliens 53 of whom died from dehydration, exhaustion, and other injuries are facing execution by lethal injection.

In a news release, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced charges last week against 45-year-old Homero Zamorano Jr. of Pasadena and 28-year-old Christian Martinez of Palestine.

Prosecutors filed a criminal complaint charging Zamorano with one count of alien smuggling resulting in death. Martinez faces one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death.

The DOJ alleged that Zamorano and Martinez smuggled a total of 64 illegal aliens. First responders in San Antonio found 48 of them dead and took 16 survivors to the hospital, where an additional five victims died.

Federal agents arrested Zamorano at the scene of the crime, where he was observed hiding in the brush after attempting to abscond.

The dead include 22 Mexicans, seven Guatemalans, two Hondurans, and 17 individuals of unknown national origin, according to the DOJ.

The government stated that Laredo border patrol officials provided surveillance footage depicting the tractor-trailer in question crossing through an immigration checkpoint. The driver had on the same clothing Zamorano was wearing when San Antonio police officers arrested him, per the DOJ.

Police arrested Martinez in Palestine and the defendant appeared in Tyler for an initial appearance. However, the DOJ noted he would be taken to San Antonio for further proceedings.

The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Two Mexican citizens connected to the deaths are also facing prison sentences on charges of possession of a weapon by an alien illegally in the U.S.

If convicted and sentenced to death, Zamorano and Martinez could be executed at the federal governments lethal injection chamber in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Only 16 federal prisoners have been put to death in recent decades, 13 of whom were executed during the final months of the Trump administration.

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U.S. Government Could Execute Two Men Accused of Smuggling 53 Illegal Aliens Who Died in San Antonio - The Texan

GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- Republicans have gained strength in their battle to unseat Dan Kildee from Congress thanks to redistricting but must decide next month who will be their standard-bearer against him in the general election in November.

Kildee, who has no opponent in the Aug. 2 Democratic primary, will face the winner of the three-candidate GOP field -- Paul Junge, Candice Miller and Matthew Seely.

Kildee and his three Republican challengers are running in the 8th congressional district, which was drawn as a result of redistricting thats been done on the local, state and federal levels following the results of the 2020 U.S. Census.

The new district includes much of Kildees current district, but adds parts of Midland County, including the city of Midland, which leans Republican.

Junge is a former criminal prosecutor who has worked in a family business, maintaining military family housing. He has served in the Department of Homeland Security and is a former investigative counsel for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.

Miller is a retired businesswoman who managed a petroleum company, serving as corporate board secretary.

Seely did not respond to a questionnaire from The League of Women Voters.

MLive and The Flint Journal in partnership with the LWV, are presenting the views of the candidates in contested primary elections through the VOTE411.org voter guide project.

All responses in the voter guide were submitted directly by the candidate and have not been edited by the League of Women Voters, except for necessary cuts if a reply exceeded character limitations. Spelling and grammar were not corrected.

Publication of candidate statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and should not be considered as an endorsement. The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties.

HEALTH CARE: What do you see as the federal governments role in health care? Given the COVID-19 pandemic, what are your concerns and plans regarding public health in the U.S.?

Junge: The goal is affordable and accessible healthcare and avoiding regulations that kick people off their healthcare plans. Government policies should allow small businesses the ability to better provide coverage for their employees, increase flexibility, empower patients and their doctors, and harness the private sectors ability to innovate and develop medications and cures.

Miller: I am for limited government. Government overreach has played a role in the pandemic and businesses and our kids have suffered. I will get our schools open and businesses thriving again!

ECONOMY: What federal policies do you support for a healthy economy and to help Americans without financial security improve their economic positions?

Junge: Families are being hit hard by the rising cost of goods and record high gas prices. We need to lower the tax burden on families and small businesses to help them afford the higher prices and to improve our economy. We need to stop the federal governments reckless spending that is driving up inflation. Additionally, we need to increase American energy production to lower gas prices. Empowering people rather than Washington DC politicians and bureaucrats will improve our economy and help people who are living paycheck-to-paycheck.

Miller: Again, I am for limited government. We need Government out of the way so businesses can compete in a global economy. The current 8th District is suffering from economic decline and we must invest in new jobs and lower taxes.

ELECTIONS: What federal policies do you support regarding elections, campaign funding and voting rights?

Junge: A photo ID should be required to vote, there needs to be strong signature verification for absentee ballots, and partisan balance among election observers is important. Voting is a fundamental right and the election process should be fair, secure, and efficient. The federal government should not be able to ban states from requiring a photo ID to vote or prevent other common sense security efforts.

Miller: I am pro-election integrity. I am for protecting our ballots and votes. One person equals one vote. No more Voter Fraud with Congresswoman Candice Miller!

SOCIAL JUSTICE: How would you address racial, economic, health and education inequities, including our countrys 16% of children and 10% of seniors living in poverty?

Junge: America needs to be the land of opportunity, which is accomplished by building a healthy economy, ensuring public safety, and providing a high-quality education for every child. We need to lean into our shared values of encouraging hard work, caring for our neighbors, investing and innovating, and leading the world in economic production and generosity.

Miller: Flint, Michigan and surrounding areas have witnessed the biggest decline due to Democratic polices. We need to invest locally and restore jobs by getting the Government out of the way to allow businesses to thrive. If we can bring jobs back to the 8th district, it will help our children and all families.

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY: What policies do you support to meet U.S. energy needs while protecting our water, air and land for current and future generations?

Junge: There is no reason for the United States to be facing an energy crisis. We have the energy to sustain ourselves and we should promote Ultra Clean Coal (which reduces ash to 0.25% and Sulfur Dioxide to trace levels), nuclear energy (which does not release CO2 and is cost effective), oil, and natural gas. Granting energy exploration permits on Federal land and approving the Keystone pipeline brings down the price of distribution, creates jobs in the US & lowers gas prices. As energy investment and innovation grows, our environment becomes cleaner. Top priority is to harness American energy and make gas prices & utility bills more affordable.

Miller: We need to restore the infrastructure in Flint. All while stopping the government restrictions which cause a huge shortage of energy demands in our country. The EPA has too much power.

IMMIGRATION: What policies do you support relative to immigration to the U.S.?

Junge: There is a crisis at the border. We need to secure the border by building effective barriers and equipping border patrol. Additionally, we need to stop encouraging illegal immigration with handouts and other benefits. Legal immigration can help our economy and society, but uncontrolled illegal immigration leads to more crime, drugs, and lower wages.

Miller: I am 100% SECURE BORDERS! We need to continue to build a wall on the southern border to prevent illegal immigration. I am America First and support taking care of our own country and not those here illegally.

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Meet the GOP candidates aiming to knock Dan Kildee out of Congress - MLive.com

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Over the past few years, the terrorist threats facing the eastern Malaysian regions on the island of Borneo have become subject for alarm. Since 2021, residents in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE) have been undergoing frequent curfews that have lasted until this year, with a recent announcement that the curfew has been extended to July 9. Authorities have revealed that curfews are in force due to unabating terrorist threats, along with kidnapping attempts and cross-border crimes linked to the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). The latest intelligence published in March 2022, suggests that the ASGs second-in-command, a figure named Mundi, is seeking refuge in Sabah, raising concerns that ASG-linked local groups and sympathizers may become active.

Furthermore, Sabah has emerged as the preferred transit point for Indonesian militants infiltrating the southern Philippines in order to commit terrorist acts there. The combination of these factors foreshadows a monumental risk to Malaysian national security. Putrajaya must therefore be proactive and act immediately to nip the terrorist threats in the bud before any bloodshed takes place. The Lahad Datu incursion by Jamalul Kiram III of the Sulu Sultanate into Sabah in 2013, which caused the deaths of over 60 individuals, including civilians and authorities, should have been a critical signal for Putrajaya to bolster Bornean security in ensuring such threats will not recur.

Against this backdrop, Putrajaya must act vehemently to deter the reemerging threat of the ASG and other militant groups, while preparing for a possible militant incursion in East Malaysia. A threat looms over Sabah in particular, as indicated by the governments continuous imposition of curfews in the region.

Putrajaya is currently strengthening East Malaysian security through various initiatives. The recent acquisition of three AW139 helicopters by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) is a prime example, indicating that assets will be mobilized to enhance patrols in Bornean waters. Furthermore, the Ministry of Defense initiated a new army base in Lahad Datu earlier this year, at a cost of 646.15 million ringgit ($146 million) that aims to strengthen Sabahs security and ability to deal with the emerging threats. Finally, one unit of Special Action Unit commandos has been dispatched to Sabah to combat the ASG threat.

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Malaysias initiatives to empower Bornean security readiness and capability are timely given the growing non-traditional security threats to East Malaysia. Apart from terrorism, other non-terrorist challenges, such as cross-border kidnapping for ransom (KFR) and illegal immigration, remain rampant in East Malaysia and demonstrate the need for Putrajaya to up the ante on border security in the region.

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Cases of cross-border KFR and armed robberies have plagued Sabah since the year 2000. In that year, bandits from the ASG kidnapped 21 people, including foreign tourists, from Sipadan Island. Following these incidents, Malaysia launched a military operation called Ops Pasir in September 2000 which sought to eliminate further cross-border crimes at a cost of 300 million ringgit ($67.8 million) annually. Although generally effective, Ops Pasir was not enough to prevent incidents such as the 2013 Lahad Datu incursion. This outcome should necessitate Putrajaya to diversify away from its heavy reliance on a military approach to the regions security challenges.

The Lahad Datu incident dictates the current development of Sabahs border security. Following the incident, Putrajaya recognized the need for even greater maritime security in Eastern Sabah, leading to the establishment of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) to protect ESSZONE. However, ESSCOM was criticized after its formation for being inefficient in achieving its primary objective of preventing transnational crime, raising questions about Putrajayas military approach to Sabahs borders. As a seasoned Sabahan politician stated in 2016, ESSCOM is not the solution as there were more cross-border kidnappings during ESSCOMs three years than the last 20 years without ESSCOM.

Although the federal government has taken military measures to address cross-border crimes in Sabah, these challenges have been immensely difficult to solve. Geographical factors play a central role here. For example, Sabahs 1,450-kilometer-long porous maritime border lies close to the Philippine province of Tawi-Tawi, and contains 107 islands that intruders can use as staging points before entering Sabahs waters. More military resources are arguably required to protect the coastline, but we must question the viability of a solely military approach to protecting Sabahs borders. Ops Pasirs inability to prevent the 2013 incursion demonstrates the need to explore non-military measures in order to support current initiatives.

Apart from the KFR threat, illegal immigration continues to be one of the central issues in Sabah. From 1990 to 2007, 298,601 immigrants, mostly Filipinos and Indonesians, were deported from Sabah, not including those who remain undetected by authorities. As of 2020, the number of illegal immigrants in Sabah totaled 1.2 million, with the highest concentration in Tawau, the region closest to the southern Philippines. The underlying cause of such high degrees of illegal immigration can be traced to two main reasons: kinship and economic opportunities.

Before the advent of modern borders, some of the earliest immigrants to have set foot in Sabah were the Bajau and Sulu from the Mindanao region of todays Philippines, a fact that forms the basis of the Philippines historic claim over Sabah. Following the Moro conflict in the late twentieth century, many crossed illegally into Sabah, capitalizing on kinship and family ties in order to integrate. Relatives or friends provide illegal immigrants with shelter and nourishment, perpetuating chain migration.

Furthermore, the potential kinship between Sabahan security personnel and illegal immigrants may result in lax enforcement of immigration laws. Poor economic opportunities back home provide additional justification for migrants to cross the border. Due to these reasons, 300 million ringgit per year in military expenditures are insufficient to deter illegal border crossings. It is clear that Sabah also requires soft policies to eliminate illegal immigration effectively.

Sarawak is equally at risk from illegal immigration, stemming from its equally porous border with Kalimantan, the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo. Indonesias new capital Nusantara in Kalimantan will begin development in the second half of this year, which should prompt Putrajaya to double down on Sarawakian security concerns. It is expected that the Nusantara project will involve the eventual relocation of some 30 million Indonesians, leading many Sarawakians to believe that it could increase illegal border crossings into Malaysia. If unaddressed, transnational crime syndicates may flourish, threatening Sarawaks security.

East Malaysias geographical complexities and diverse demographics require a multi-pronged approach to improving border security and addressing the regions growing non-traditional security threats. Sheer military might will deter some, but will not succeed in preventing all instances of border violations, as seen with Ops Pasir. In any event, the Malaysian federal budget does not have the margins to support the increases in defense spending for Sabah and Sarawak that some are recommending.

For example, Budget 2022 has allocated 26.4 million ringgit ($5.9 million) to ESSCOM, a reduction from Budget 2021s allocation of 26.8 million ringgit ($6.1 million). While ESSCOMs commander has called for increased resources, it is understandably difficult for Putrajaya to fulfill his wishes. Only 75 billion ringgit ($16.9 billion), or 22.6 percent of Budget 2022, is committed to development costs, with the remaining 233.5 billion ($52.7 billion) spent on operational costs. Thus, margins for defense development are slim, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. As the government pushes an expansionary fiscal policy post-COVID-19, increased defense spending is unlikely to be a top priority.

Instead, a multistep compromise is needed. For Sabah, Putrajaya should consider relocating pre-existing Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and RMN assets from Peninsular Malaysia to Sabah, as there is substantially less risk of a maritime threat to the former. This gives East Malaysian security operations the assets they require without increasing financial commitments. Additionally, Putrajaya ought to increase the MMEAs scope within ESSCOM whilst reducing the purview of the Malaysian Armed Forces, given that the former focuses specifically on maritime issues.

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Furthermore, minilateral efforts on the Trilateral Cooperative Agreement (TCA) between Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines to patrol the Sulu Sea have been successful in reducing transnational crimes. In March 2022, all three TCA signatories pledged to increase patrols in the area. However, this must be translated into swift action given the persistent threats of cross-border crimes along East Malaysias border.

Finally, the last piece of the puzzle for East Malaysian border security is the pursuit of softer approaches. The Malaysian government must explore how better to tackle the root causes of the emerging non-traditional security threats. Grassroots initiatives in border communities are necessary to instill the nationalism needed to overcome crossborder kinship ties. Putrajaya should also utilize its network of Village Security and Development Committees in rural areas to educate villagers on the importance of their role in protecting national security and to rebuild trust in the Federation.

The onus is on Putrajaya to re-examine its strategy toward East Malaysias security. The incursion of Lahad Datu in 2013 is a bitter lesson that Malaysia will have to endure. To prevent a recurrence, it must undertake multilayered efforts to address East Malaysias border security challenges.

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Reexamining East Malaysian Security in an Age of Growing Threats - The Diplomat

President Joe Biden has let more illegal migrants into the United States than there are people in his home state of Delaware a shocking 1.049 million, per the administrations own disclosures.

And thats just the adults they caught and released; if you add in got-aways and unaccompanied minors, that figure approaches 2 million (closer to a West Virginia or an Idaho).

Never mind the horror stories like the one about the 53 migrants who died in a truck in San Antonio, Texas, last week; a population increase of that size will have an enormous impact on the US itself. Especially so given the more than 11 million people here illegally at the start of 2022, according to estimates from the Center for Immigration Studies a massive uptick over the previous years figure, courtesy of Let-Em-In Joe.

Every month, the number of migrants encountered by US Customs and Border Protection keeps rising. Mays was the highest ever, breaking the record set in April. There wont be any letup until the White House stops its wink-and-nod routine that heartlessly encourages illegal migration.

Dont think the nation can absorb this massive influx without major changes and pain. Just look at the town of Eagle Pass in Texas. Video taken there showed hundreds of suspected illegal migrants gathered by a roadside, in a town of 30,000 thats seen 1,000 illegal migrants apprehended and processed there per day.

The towns mayor, Rolando Salinas Jr. (a Democrat), says his police and fire services are stretched thin and expresses deep frustration: The US needs to let the world know there are rules, theres laws you have to follow. If you come to the US, youre not going to get all these resources because thats what they think.

Yet thats just what the Biden administration has encouraged them to. Indeed, human traffickers allegedly call his policy La Invitacin.

Its destroying small border towns like Eagle Pass. And it has huge implications for politics, budgets and crime around the country:These numbers are like adding whole new states.

Dont believe anyone who says we cant do anything about it. These numbers were nowhere near as bad during the Trump administration. Then, the US posture was clear i.e., that immigrants must pursue legal pathways and included elements like the Remain in Mexico policy, which Biden is ending, and the Title 42 expulsion rule, which hes vowed to end.

Secure borders are better for US citizens and would-be migrants. Biden and other open-border enthusiasts can keep up their humanitarian charade and do huge collateral damage along the way.

But all the evidence we need of how deadly wrong they are can be found in Eagle Pass, San Antonio and dozens of other towns and cities.

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Biden's immigration insanity is breaking the nation - New York Post