Sen. Katie Britt delivered a sharp rebuke on the Senate floor, accusing Democrats of attempting to defund key border security and federal law enforcement agencies while the country continues to face threats from drug trafficking, cartel violence, and national security risks tied to illegal immigration.
Britt argued that while Democrats now claim they no longer support open border policies, their current proposal would eliminate funding for Customs and Border Protection, including the Border Patrol.
According to Britt, the move would undermine agencies that have been directly responsible for reducing fentanyl-related deaths across the country.
“Democrats claim they are no longer for open borders,” Britt said.
“Yet they’re now proposing to actually defund border security. Their proposal completely defunds the Customs and Border Protection, including Border Patrol.”
Britt pointed to recent data showing a decline in overdose deaths tied to fentanyl and credited CBP officers for the progress.
“Now, year over year, fentanyl deaths are down 24% when you take overdoses of drug and fentanyl deaths down 24% because of the good work of CBP, but you want to defund that. Why?”
She said the reduction followed a period during the Biden-Harris administration when overdose deaths reached record highs, prompting widespread frustration among voters.
“Well, during the Biden administration, we hit a record high of overdoses. And do you know what the American people said? They said, No more, no more. We’re sick of the failed Biden border policies.”
Britt told colleagues that many families across the country have personally felt the consequences of the fentanyl crisis, adding that the work of CBP officers has prevented additional tragedies.
“And there are moms and dads that are sitting around their kitchen table, Mr. President with a child who would not be here but for the courageous acts of CBP. But Democrats today say they want to defund that.”
Britt also criticized Democrats for what she described as a contradiction between their rhetoric on public safety and their current funding proposal affecting federal law enforcement.
“Additionally, Mr. President, Democrats claim they are no longer the party of defund police. But yet today, they actually came here and asked to defund our law enforcement officers.”
She specifically pointed to Homeland Security Investigations, or HSI, a federal agency that investigates child exploitation, human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, and transnational criminal networks.
“Now I heard the Minority Leader give a few remarks earlier, which I was glad to see him down here, and he talked about the need to protect children.”
Britt argued that the same concern was absent during previous years when large numbers of migrant children entered the country.
“I wish that the other side of the aisle had that level of conviction over the last four years of the Biden administration, when we lost over 500,000 kids to Joe Biden’s failed border policies.”
She also criticized previous policy changes involving DNA verification used to confirm family relationships among migrants.
“There are no reforms that can stop this flow of border. There are no reforms that can get they actually did away with the DNA policy to make sure that those kids went to someone that they were related to.”
Britt said HSI has been responsible for locating some of the children who were reported missing.
“Would you know what you’re defunding? You’re defunding the agency that has found 145 of those lost children.”
She added that the agency also plays a critical role in targeting criminal networks and predators.
“When you think about what HSI does, then go find child predators. HSI is responsible for capturing these men, and today, you’ve all decided that that’s not worth funding.”
“We’re no longer going to go after people who are child pornographers, child predators, sex traffickers, drug traffickers.”
“The worst of the worst is who HSI has found and gotten rid of. But today, the Democrats came and said, We’re not going to fund it.”
Britt also warned that the proposal would reduce funding for immigration enforcement officers who remove violent offenders and cartel members from the United States.
“You’re defunding ERO personnel, who remove these transnational cartel members and violent criminals, and you’re defunding CBP personnel.”
She argued that the proposal reflects a broader ideological position among Democrats.
“Look, it’s very clear through their actions today, Mr. President, that they are still the party of open borders, they are still the party of defund the police, now actually more than ever, and you can’t get more radical than that.”
Britt said the debate is occurring at a time when national security officials have raised concerns about threats entering the country. She referenced testimony from the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center regarding individuals admitted into the United States under the Biden-Harris administration.
“We know that in December 2025 that the Director of National Counterterrorism Center testified that the US had admitted over 18,000 known or suspected terrorists as part of Biden’s parole program.”
She also cited figures involving individuals identified as terrorist suspects encountered at the border.
“When you’re looking at CBP, the fact in FY 25 they got 4800 known terrorist or terrorist suspects at the border. FY 26 3950 we have work to do.”
Britt said she remains open to working with lawmakers from both parties on solutions but argued that cutting funding for enforcement agencies moves the country in the wrong direction.
“We want to work with our colleagues on the other side of the aisle. We want to find a pathway forward. But it takes actually half. Conversations and working together to be able to do that.”
She concluded by warning that the proposal would weaken public safety and national security.
“This is completely moving us in the wrong direction. It would endanger lives of our family, and ultimately, Mr. President, the safety of our nation. And therefore, I object.”
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