Southern Utah University alumna Rep. Celeste Maloy went to the southern border with 60 other Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 3. The visit marks one of the first major appearances for Maloy since being elected last November.
This comes after the largest surge in migrants at the border in over two decades, which has since prompted several prominent political figures, including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, to make this trip. Another visitation factor was a recent lawsuit from the Department of Justice against the state of Texas over a law that would give states broad power to arrest and deport migrants.
In terms of how this would affect the greater Iron County area, Maloy has previously stated that drugs like fentanyl could be making it through the border and into our communities and that securing the border could prevent these substances from entering the area.
During her campaign for election to Congress, Maloy cited border security as one of her main issues. Speaking on what she saw during the visit, Maloy stated, “It’s worse now than it’s been in past years and past decades. Everybody we talked to said that. We’ve never had complete control over the border. There have always been people who have managed to get across. But it’s never been like it is right now.”
Author: Aidan Mortensen
Photo courtesy of the Associated Press
Editor: Anna Mower
news@suunews.net
