Iowa Gov., Kim Reynolds, has joined governors from 25 other states in a joint letter, urging President Joe Biden to meet with them to discuss the border crisis. Gov. Reynolds says her first responsibility is to the health and safety of Iowans and this humanitarian and national security crisis has an impact on all 50 states. “Our immigration system may be complicated and complex, but the solution to ending the border crisis is simple and straightforward,” she says. “President Biden has the ability and the duty to take action to protect America, restore security and end the crisis now.” Numbers released with this letter include border apprehensions that have risen nearly 500 percent from last year and are at more than 1.3 million—which is more than the populations of nine U.S. states. An estimated 9,700 illegal apprehensions have prior criminal convictions and the cartels and traffickers are making $14 million a day moving people illegally across the border. In addition, nearly 10,500 pounds of fentanyl have been seized this fiscal year, more than the last three years combined, which is more than enough to kill seven times the U.S. population. Reynolds also agrees with the other governors that the crisis does not stay at the border as Iowa law enforcement officials are seeing upticks in major narcotic crimes, seizing roughly 6,136 grams of fentanyl between January and June. This is a 1,070 percent increase from last year. Methamphetamine seizures are also up 122 percent in the first half of 2021. The governors call on the President to execute immigration laws. “Not only has the federal government created a crisis, it has left our states to deal with challenges that the federal government has a duty to solve,” Reynolds adds. The letter and the list of governors included on it can be found below.
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