Rock Island Today

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Eric Sorensen (Il-17) introduced amendments that would better secure the southern border and prevent the spread of fentanyl to an immigration bill the House of Representatives considered this past week. 

"We need to secure the border and work together on bipartisan solutions that fix our broken immigration system," said Sorensen. "That's why I took the initiative to make our points of entry stronger and communities safer from the spread of deadly synthetic drugs. I'm urging my colleagues to come together to strengthen our nation’s border security.”  

Sorensen’s first amendment would have added 500 new U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at legal points of entry, where the majority of illicit drugs enter the country. The second amendment would bring federal agencies together in the fight to stop the spread of fentanyl, creating a more unified approach toward dealing with cartels and smugglers. 

Both of Sorensen’s amendments were prevented from being considered in the final bill that passed the House on partisan lines. 

Sorensen took to the House floor to express his disappointment that his widely supported amendments were not included in the final bill and outlined his decision to vote against the measure, citing lack of bipartisan cooperation and concern for the bill’s impact on legal points of entry, which are overwhelmed and lack vital resources. 

You can watch Sorensen’s full speech here 

Congressman Eric Sorensen is the first openly LGBTQ person elected to represent Illinois at the federal level and is a member of the New Democrat Coalition. He serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Prior to serving in Congress, Sorensen was a local meteorologist in Rockford and the Quad Cities for nearly 20 years. His district includes Illinois’ Quad Cities, Rockford, Peoria, and Bloomington-Normal. 

Original source can be found here