Arkansas lawmakers join with House Republicans to pass border security act

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The four Arkansas congressional members voted to approve a bill addressing United States border security Thursday.

The 213-page Secure the Border Act of 2023 calls for resuming construction of the border wall and increased enforcement against illegal border crossing. Other measures in the bill include tightening controls on visas and children-family separation standards.

The bill was passed on the same day the pandemic-emergency-related Title 42 border rule was set to expire. That rule allowed the rapid expulsion of immigrants. In its place, U.S. immigration policy returns to the previously-used Title 8 rule which will enable immigrants at the border to apply for asylum.

Critics say reverting back to this previous rule will strain border security. 

“Joe Biden sent a message that America’s border is open, and millions of people answered that call and started coming across our border illegally,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, (R-Louisiana) said earlier this week. “We’re go...