Sen. Rick Scott Outlines Top Priorities to Protect America’s Homeland in Letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem thanking her for the critical work done by the Trump administration and DHS to secure the border, get dangerous terrorists, criminals and deadly drugs out of our communities, and keep America's homeland safe, a stark contrast to the dangerous open-border policies of the previous administration. In his letter, Senator Scott also outlined several of his top priorities to build on DHS's actions to help keep families safe:

• End "Catch & Release" and Reinstate Border Security Programs including the "Remain in Mexico" and "Safe Third Country" policies, and establishing a checkpoint management office.
• Combat Drug and Human Trafficking by expanding Customs and Border Protection (CBP) maritime authority, stronger background checks for migrant sponsors, and recovery of missing migrant children.
• Improve Disaster Response and Cybersecurity for improved disaster recovery procedures and enhanced cybersecurity protection, particularly against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
• Crack Down on Chinese Communist Party Influence by banning federal funds for schools with CCP ties and prosecuting CCP operatives in the U.S.

Read the full letter HERE.

Dear Secretary Noem:

I first wish to congratulate you on your recent confirmation as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Thank you for your willingness to serve in this critical time in our history. After four years of disastrous open border policies under the previous administration that made our country less safe and endangered American families, I am glad to see U.S. national security interests prioritized in implementing border security and immigration policies. I know our nation will be back on track because of President Trump's and your leadership.

As a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I remain committed to securing our territorial borders, robustly enforcing our immigration laws, combating the flow of deadly fentanyl and other drugs into our country, and improving response and recovery efforts in the aftermath of natural disasters. To that end, I encourage your leadership and support for the following priorities.

Return DHS to Its Core Mission of Securing the Homeland

• Prioritize the United States Secret Service (USSS) investigation on both assassination attempts against President Trump and publicly report findings.

Secure Our Territorial Borders Against Illegal Immigration

• End the disastrous "Catch & Release" policy implemented under the Biden Administration and reinstate the "Remain in Mexico" program by enforcing Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP).
• Reinstate the "Safe Third Country" policy to require migrants wishing to claim asylum in the United States to first seek and be denied asylum in other countries through which they traveled on their way to the United States.
• Establish a Checkpoint Program Management Office (CPMO) within the U.S. Border Patrol to oversee and improve checkpoint operations, data collection, and coordination across agencies involved in border security.

Fully Implement Interior Enforcement

• Facilitate partnerships with state and local governments to expand the detention capacity of illegal aliens as well as increase the number of 287(g) agreements that empower local law enforcement officials to enforce federal immigration law.
• Prohibit federal funds to sanctuary cities and states that refuse to comply with federal immigration laws and non-governmental organizations that facilitate illegal immigration.
• Enforce Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility.

Crack Down on Drug and Human Trafficking

• Work with Congress to expand Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Air and Marine Operations' (AMOs') maritime authority to 24 nautical miles to enhance the ability to detect, interdict, and prosecute vessels engaged in illicit activities, such as smuggling illegal drugs or human trafficking victims.
• Establish background checks by DHS and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) before any migrant child is placed with a sponsor to ensure that unaccompanied migrant children are placed with fully vetted, safe sponsors to prevent trafficking and exploitation.
• Prioritize the search and safe return of the more than 320,000 unaccompanied migrant children lost under the Biden administration who "are now at risk of sex trafficking, forced labor and other forms of exploitation" as reported by the DHS Inspector General.

Improve Disaster Response and Recovery Efforts at FEMA

• Establish the advisory group provided for by my Disaster Contract Improvement Act that, which signed into law, to assess and enhance procedures for overseeing debris removal contracts in disaster recovery.
• Require advance contracts for debris removal entered into by state, local, and tribal governments to be eligible for federal funds reimbursement.

Return Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to its Core Mission

• Prioritize protecting the nation's cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, and coordinating cybersecurity programs with our State and local partners against nation-state and rogue cyberattacks to prevent attacks like Salt Typhoon.
• Investigate and publicly report on how DHS weaponized CISA under the Biden administration and funded non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to censor millions of Americans online via Big Tech in direct violation of our First Amendment.

Crack Down on Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence in the U.S.

• Prohibit higher education institutions that have relationships with the Confucius Institutes or Chinese entities of concern from receiving federal funds from the DHS.
• Work with the FBI to identify and prosecute CCP operatives operating "Chinese police stations" in the U.S.

I look forward to working with you to address the nation's threats and further our shared goal of ensuring safety and security for all Americans.

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