Western South Dakota News

U.S. Senator John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, addressed the Senate floor regarding what he describes as a national security and humanitarian crisis at the southern border. He attributes this situation to policies implemented by the Biden-Harris administration.

Senator Thune highlighted that there have been approximately 10 million migrant encounters at the southern border during this administration's tenure. "Between official U.S. Customs and Border Protection encounters and known gotaways, there have been roughly 10 million migrant encounters at our southern border during the Biden-Harris administration," he stated.

He emphasized that this number is significant when compared to various U.S. states' populations, noting it surpasses those of Colorado, Tennessee, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Indiana.

Thune expressed concerns about overwhelmed shelters and cities near the border, along with exhausted Border Patrol agents. He pointed out potential national security risks associated with these issues: "There is no question that the chaos at our southern border represents a serious security risk for our country."

Citing the Department of Homeland Security's 2025 threat assessment, Thune mentioned ongoing threats from individuals with terrorism ties exploiting migration flows to enter the United States. He also referred to incidents involving Tajikistan nationals with suspected ISIS connections and migrants using an ISIS-affiliated smuggling network.

Thune criticized illegal activities such as drug trafficking across borders, which he claims affect communities nationwide: "My state of South Dakota is about as far from the southern border as you can get, but law enforcement officials consistently tell me that the illegal drugs that they’re dealing with have entered the country across our southern border."

The senator pledged that once Republicans regain control in January under President Trump’s leadership, addressing illegal immigration will be a priority. This includes plans for significant investments in border security and immigration enforcement through increased resources for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and Border Patrol agents.

He concluded by reaffirming Republicans' commitment to resolving these issues for national security purposes: "For the sake of our national security. And for the sake of our rule of law."