IN THE NEWS: Sen. Kelly Emphasizes Need for Comprehensive Plan and Resources Ahead of Premature Title 42 Lift 

In case you missed it, last week, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly returned to Douglas, Arizona, marking his fifth trip to the state’s southern border since he entered the Senate in December 2020. Kelly toured the Raul Castro Port of Entry and received an operational briefing from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) port personnel. 

While at the port, the group discussed how the funding Kelly secured in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will enable the General Services Administration and CBP to upgrade the port and enhance port technology, which will help Port Officers ensure more efficient trade and travel between Arizona and Mexico while also stopping illegal cargo.

During a briefing at the Douglas Border Patrol station with Cochise County Sheriff Dannels, Kelly heard directly from Border Patrol leadership about the operational challenges created by increased border apprehensions. Kelly discussed his concerns about the Administrations’ plans to lift the Title 42 authority and CBP personnel having to redirect much-needed staffing away from their daily responsibilities of protecting trade and preventing the flow of illicit drugs, like fentanyl, and firearms.

See news coverage highlights below:

Fox News: Sen. Kelly says Biden admin doesn’t have plan in place for lifting Title 42: ‘It’s going to be a crisis’

Kelly spoke to Fox News Digital after a visit to the Arizona border, his fifth since becoming a senator. There, he visited the Douglas Port of Entry, which is being reconstructed with $400 million in funding he secured in the bipartisan infrastructure bill. He also spoke to officials about improving technology at the border in an effort “to try to interdict more of the fentanyl that’s coming across the border heading north and the firearms and cash that head south.”

He also met with Border Patrol, speaking to agents and receiving an intelligence briefing on how the cartels operate and benefit financially by moving migrants into the United States.

KGUN 9 Tucson: Senator Mark Kelly warns, Arizona unprepared for surge when Title 42 lifts

Senator Mark Kelly says it’s easy to see lifting Title 42 will lead to a surge of immigrants, but he does not see any sign of a plan to handle the surge.

Sen. Kelly says he needs to see a plan for everything from buses for moving migrants, to places to house them, to more judges hearing their asylum requests.

He’s pushing legislation to postpone lifting Title 42 until those plans exist.

My Herald Review: ‘Crisis on top of a crisis’: Kelly says Biden has no plan for border after dumping Title 42

Simply put, Kelly said there is a crisis on the Southwest border.

“Right now we have a crisis,” Kelly said. “We have about 7,000 migrants a day (on the Southwest border) that Border Patrol have to process and in some cases, have to temporarily house.

“Title 42 allows Border Patrol to return folks from Mexico and Guatemala back to Mexico. So those numbers would go up significantly.

“Right now, this administration does not have a plan.”

Washington Examiner: Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly: Biden has ‘no plan’ for Title 42 migrant surge

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly warned that the United States is facing a potential “humanitarian crisis” after visiting the southern border this week. […]

“I spent 15 years flying the Space Shuttle as a pilot of the Space Shuttle, commander of the Space Shuttle,” Kelly told the outlet. “We spent a lot of time preparing and training and making sure we have the right things in place for stuff that’s expected, and we spend an equal amount on stuff that’s unexpected, the contingency plans. In this case, the administration hasn’t even prepared, and they don’t have a plan for what to expect. Forget about the unexpected part, I’m just asking for the first part of this. We know what the situation on the ground is going to be. Let’s come up with a detailed plan and put it in place — and I just haven’t seen that.” […]

Gila Herald: Senator Kelly makes his fifth visit to the southern border 

On Wednesday, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly returned to Douglas, Arizona, marking his fifth trip to the state’s southern border since he entered the Senate in December 2020. Kelly toured the Raul Castro Port of Entry and received an operational briefing from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel. […]

KVOA Tucson: Sen. Kelly visits Douglas to talks about Title 42 extension proposal

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly visited the southern border Wednesday and spoke with U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents regarding the public health order, known as Title 42.

​​Title 42 grants the government the ability to use emergency action to stop the introduction of diseases and in this case was used for border crossings.

Kelly is in favor of extending Title 42 saying in part, “Title 42 was put in place because of the public health emergency. It should not be around forever, but right now this administration does not have a plan. I warned them about this months ago. I have talked to CBP about it and the Department of Homeland Security and they do not have a plan.”

ABC 15: Sen. Kelly Heads to the Border

The Senator spending Wednesday visiting the border. He says he wants to see plans for everything: from buses to move asylum seekers, places to house them, and more judges hearing asylum cases.