BEATRICE – U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts lays the blame for what he calls a crisis at the border, at the feet of President Joe Biden. Holding several sessions in eastern Nebraska this week dubbed “Border Briefings”, the Republican spoke in Beatrice at the 402 Sports Bar and Grill, Monday…calling the situation at the U.S. southern border, “a catastrophe”.


"The most recent numbers we have, for February...that number is now nine-point-two million people having attempted to cross into our country illegally or who have crossed into our country, illegally. That's more than the population of New York City. That's more than the population of 36 states."


About 40 people attended the one-hour session. Ricketts said the solution is to elect a new administration and return to a “remain in Mexico” policy for those seeking asylum. Ricketts said the administration’s current policies are not working.


"It's creating a humanitarian crisis. It's creating a sex trafficking, human trafficking, child trafficking, drug trafficking, national security crisis at our southern border. Asylum is supposed to be for people who are afraid to live in their country, because their government is persecuting them. Typically what happens with other countries is if you are fleeing your home country, other countries make you stop in the first safe country. It's also what we call remain in Mexico. The policy ought to be you have to remain in Mexico, until you get your hearing."


Ricketts supports more uniform border inspections for illegals….DNA testing of children at the border to ensure they are with their parents…..increased federal penalties and targeting cartels for trafficking fentanyl, stopping immigration parole abuse and construction of more border wall.


Ricketts said President Biden has executive authority to control the flow of illegal immigrants at the southern border, but has chosen not to do so. "Talking to customs and border protection people, they tell me...the people coming across the border are not just people from Mexico...or Central America or South America...they include from Iran, Syria. The number of Chinese Nationals that are crossing the border has skyrocketed. Just a few weeks ago, in San Diego, in just three days, customs and border protection apprehended more Chinese Nationals trying to get across, just in San Diego...than the entire southern border, in 2021."


Ricketts held similar events to discuss border issues on Monday in Plattsmouth and Nebraska City….and others are scheduled in Blair and Wahoo on Wednesday.


Republicans are banking on the border security issue as a top voter concern in this year’s Presidential race and those for the House and Senate.