B.E.T.O.: Border Entry Totally Open

Press Release

"Today, extreme liberal Beto O'Rourke starts a weekend tour of the Rio Grande Valley where he will have to defend his support for open border policies that have led to a flood of fentanyl entering Texas, leading to over 1,300 deaths in 2021 in Texas alone. The Texans of the RGV have a first-hand view of the failed Beto-Biden border crisis, which is exactly why Republicans like Governor Abbott are seeing record levels of support in the places Beto is campaigning this weekend." -- Mark Miner, Communications Director

O'Rourke Supports Extreme Liberal Open Border Policies Such As Tearing Down The Wall And Curtailing Immigration Enforcement:

O'Rourke Wanted To Curtail Immigration Enforcement, "All But Eliminating Immigration Detention," And Grant Citizenship To Illegal Immigrants Currently In The U.S. "O'Rourke's plan focuses on curtailing immigration enforcement -- in particular, all but eliminating immigration detention -- and focusing instead on building up immigration courts and case management systems for newly arriving asylum seekers, while returning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests and deportations of immigrants already living in the US to the constraints of President Barack Obama's last years in office. … But beyond the now-standard Democratic promise to pass a bill that allows the 11 million unauthorized immigrants currently in the US to apply for legal status and ultimately citizenship, and to expedite legalization and citizenship for DACA recipients and TPS recipients, there isn't a complete bill framework here." (Dara Lind, "Beto O'Rourke's Immigration Plan Would Go Even Further On Executive Power Than Trump," Vox, 5/31/19)

O'Rourke Said Building A Wall On The U.S.-Mexico Border Is "Racist." "U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, on Friday attacked President Donald Trump's immigration and trade plans as a threat to the North American economy and described the president's reasoning for building a wall on the southern border as "racist.'" (Sean Collins Walsh, "Congressman Beto O'Rourke: Trump's Wall Is "Racist'," Austin American-Statesman, 1/27/17)

In 2019 "O'Rourke Said He Would Take Down Existing Walls And Fencing At The U.S.-Mexico Border If He Could." "Beto O'Rourke said he would take down existing walls and fencing at the U.S.-Mexico border if he could. O'Rourke, a former congressman for El Paso who ran a high-profile challenge against GOP Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, said in an interview with MSNBC's Chris Hayes on Thursday, "Absolutely, I'd take the wall down.'" (Doha Madani, "'I'd Take The Wall Down,' Says Beto O'Rourke Of Current Border Barriers," NBC News, 2/14/19)

O'Rourke Opposed The "Remain In Mexico" Policy For Asylum Seekers. "Former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke, a Democratic candidate for president, denounced the Trump administration's controversial "Remain in Mexico' policy for asylum seekers, accusing the U.S. government of forcing desperate migrants into precarious situations in Mexico." (Camilo Montoya-Galvez, "O'Rourke Says Trump's "Remain In Mexico' Policy Fuels "Suffering And Death'," CBS News, 6/30/19)
Fentanyl Is Flooding Into Texas And The United States Via The U.S. Southern Border With Mexico, Leading To A Massive Increase In Deaths:

"According To The CDC, Fentanyl Is The Leading Cause Of Death For Adults Ages 18-45 In The United States." (Dan Grossman, "Fentanyl Is The Leading Cause Of Death In Americans Ages 18-45," KMGH-TV, 1/4/22)

In 2021 There Were Over 1,300 Fentanyl-Related Deaths In Texas (Provisional Data). (Texas Department Of State Health Services, Accessed 2/8/22)

The Border Patrol Seized 10,586 Pounds Of Fentanyl At The U.S.'s Southern Border With Mexico In Fiscal Year 2021. "Fentanyl, an opioid for pain treatment, is between 50 and 100 times more potent than morphine. In Fiscal Year 2021, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized 10,586 lbs of the deadly drug at the southern border, which can be fatal in extremely small amounts." (Adam Shaw, "Abbott Says Enough Fentanyl Seized In Texas To Kill 222 Million Americans, Biden "Does Not Care'," Fox News, 1/27/22)

Texas DPS Alone Seized 887 Pounds Of Fentanyl In 2021. "As of 12/16/21, [TX DPS] have seized 887 lbs of #Fentanyl = 201,128,322 [deadly] doses. This deadly drug continues to plague our country, but the brave men & women of [TX DPS] are safeguarding Texans & the U.S. Border Security is National Security." (Twitter.com, 12/22/21)
The Number Of Fentanyl-Related Deaths In The United States Increased By 56 Percent Between 2019 And 2020, The Most Recent Numbers Available. "The age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone, which include such drugs as fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, and tramadol, increased from 1999 through 2020, with different rates of change over time (Figure 4). From 2019 to 2020, the rate increased 56%, from 11.4 to 17.8 per 100,000." ("Drug Overdose Deaths In The United States, 1999--2020," U.S. Centers For Disease Control, Accessed 2/7/22)

"Fentanyl, A Drug Approved For Pain Treatment, Killed More Than 64,000 Americans From April 2020-April 2021, According To The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention." (Phelim Kine, "The War On Drugs Puts A Target On China," Politico, 2/7/22)

"A Recent Stanford-Lancet Study Warned That The U.S. Opioid Overdose Death Toll Could Rise To 1.2 Million by 2029." (Phelim Kine, "The War On Drugs Puts A Target On China," Politico, 2/7/22)

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