Majority Leader | Press Release | Press Releases | THE NE...Skip to primary navigation Skip to content×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNE×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNExxsearchxMENUFacebookXInstagramFacebookXInstagramVisit Leader Thune's South Dakota Site Here THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNExxsearchxMENUHomeTHE NEWSROOMPress Releases01.13.26Thune: Republicans Deliver Safer Streets, Secure Border“[A]s we think about our priorities here, it is securing that border, keeping the country safe, it’s about more money in people’s pockets, and it’s about new opportunities for American families to get ahead.” Click here to watch the video.WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership:Thune’s remarks below (as delivered):“Good afternoon, everyone.“We are one year removed, about a year ago at this time, we were preparing for President Trump’s inauguration.“And I think it’s a good time to kind of reflect on the last year and the things that we’ve been able to accomplish together, working with the president, a Republican majority in the House, a Republican majority in the Senate.“And it all starts with protecting and defending the homeland.“And I think that this president made a commitment to the American people when he ran, and as soon as he became president, immediately worked to secure our southern border.“And we worked closely with him to ensure that they have the resources to do the things that were necessary to get that border secure.“And I’ve had the opportunity multiple times to visit the southern border – a couple of times during the Biden presidency, at a time when there were literally millions of people who were being released into the country, you know, coming here illegally, being released into the country by the millions.“And that changed abruptly when President Trump took office.“And so I had the opportunity, along with Senator Barrasso and some others, last week to go down there again, and I am telling you, folks what a difference it makes.“The border is secure.“There are not people being released into the country illegally.“And the Border Patrol could not be happier to actually be allowed to do the job that they are supposed to do, which is to protect the border rather than dealing with all the other issues with the millions of people who are in this country illegally.“And so they couldn’t have been happier to have had the resources Congress has provided, to have the leadership that President Trump has provided, and the message it sent to people elsewhere across the border that, you know, you’re not coming here, you’re not coming into this country illegally anymore.“That has changed dramatically, in a way that the Border Patrol is grateful for.“And as we think about our priorities here, it is securing that border, keeping the country safe, it’s about more money in people’s pockets, and it’s about new opportunities for American families to get ahead.“So those are the priorities that we’re going to continue to keep front and center as we proceed into this next year.“But I think it’s fair to say that, at least in this last year, there has been enormous amounts of progress.“A border that is secure, a Border Patrol that is now doing their job, and American communities and cities that are way safer.”PrintEmailTweetNextPreviousTHE NEWSROOMSENATE RESOURCESABOUT LEADER THUNEFacebookXInstagram
