Republican Senator Emphasizes Border Security Amid Record-Low Migrant Encounters

Republican Senator Emphasizes Border Security Amid Record-Low Migrant Encounters

Senator James Lankford, a Republican from Oklahoma, conveyed in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital that he still believes in the necessity of a bipartisan border bill to secure the U.S. borders. This assertion comes in light of President Donald Trump achieving a record low in border encounters via executive order.

In February 2025, the U.S. Border Patrol reported the lowest monthly apprehension totals for migrants crossing the southern border in over 25 years. Only 8,326 encounters occurred in February 2025, a significant decline from 189,913 in February 2024.

Lankford commented on the stark differences in border crossing numbers, stating, “Same law, same opportunities. Obviously, very different applications of the law.” He pointed out that just last week, the number of individuals attempting illegal crossings totaled under 200. In stark contrast, a year and a half ago, daily crossings surged to 12,000.

The Oklahoma senator attributed this dramatic decrease in illegal border crossings to a combination of Trump’s policies and rhetoric. However, he expressed concern that Trump would not need to employ such extensive remedial measures if the bipartisan border bill had been approved during President Joe Biden’s administration.

Lankford Highlights the Need for Legislative Action

Lankford explained that the failure to pass the bipartisan border bill has resulted in a surge of approximately one million people entering the country in 2024. He stressed the importance of legislative action in order to create lasting border security measures.

Despite the recent record low in border crossings, Lankford affirmed that legislative action is crucial. He noted, “It’ll be the challenge in the days ahead. There are still gaps in the law. There are still loopholes there. I would anticipate that within the next two or three years, the cartels will test these loopholes again. We witnessed similar testing during the first Trump administration. Although numbers were down in the first two years, the third year saw nearly a million illegal crossings because the cartels were probing for weaknesses in the law. That challenge will reoccur.”

Lankford further elaborated that the initial step involves enforcing laws to secure the border, and the subsequent step focuses on addressing legislative loopholes.

He said, “When we see the loopholes, close those because President Trump is expected to be president for four years. We don’t know who will take office five years from now. If we don’t fix those gaps, we are likely to face this issue again. Therefore, it is essential to amend the law, so we will not need to confront this problem repeatedly. My objective was to halt the chaos that began in 2014 and ensure no matter who becomes president in the future, these laws are enforced.”

Legislative Background and Efforts

Lankford has a longstanding history of supporting border security initiatives. Previously, as a representative for Oklahoma’s fifth congressional district, he backed the Secure the Southwest Border Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2014, which aimed at funding the Department of Homeland Security and enhancing resources for unaccompanied minors at the southern border.

In his role as senator, Lankford became the lead Republican negotiator for the Border Act of 2024, widely referred to as the bipartisan border bill. He collaborated with Senator Kyrsten Sinema, an Independent from Arizona, and Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, introducing the legislation early last year.

The proposed bill sought to discourage illegal border crossings through a quota system, tighten asylum application procedures, increase the number of border patrol agents, create work visas for migrant spouses of U.S. citizens, and establish pathways to citizenship for documented dreamers.

Unfortunately for Lankford, his Republican colleagues withheld support for the bipartisan border bill in the Senate. Reports indicated that Trump opposed the legislation, arguing it did not go far enough to secure the border and would have represented a win for President Biden and the Democrats in the realm of border security.

Despite facing backlash, including censure from the Oklahoma Republican Party for aligning too closely with Democratic agendas, Lankford continues to advocate for the bipartisan border bill. Its significance became a focal point in the 2024 presidential campaign, with Democrats blaming Trump and Republicans for obstructing legislation that could enhance border security. Conversely, Republicans have shifted the blame to President Biden’s policies for the surge in illegal immigration.

A recent report by the Federation for American Immigration Reform revealed that the illegal immigrant population in the U.S. has exceeded 18 million under the Biden administration. The report found an increase of 4.1 million, or 18.2%, since December 2020.

The Future of Immigration Policy

On the campaign trail, Trump pledged to secure the southern border on the first day of his next administration. He even signed a series of executive actions related to border security on his first day, including declaring a national emergency concerning border conditions.

According to Fox News Voter Analysis, both immigration and the economy rank as top issues for voters in 2024. A significant 47% of voters expressed that undocumented immigrants should be deported instead of having the opportunity to apply for legal status. Furthermore, 68% favored reducing the number of immigrants seeking asylum at the border.

As debates surrounding immigration policy loom large, the potential for new legislation remains intertwined with prevailing public sentiment and political dynamics. A comprehensive approach to immigration reform may become necessary to address longstanding issues within the system.