Merced Times

San Diego, CA—Recently, Congressman John Duarte (CA-13) toured the Otay Mesa Port of Entry with agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Border Patrol.

Chief Patrol Agent Patricia McGurk-Daniel from the U.S. Border Patrol showed Congressman Duarte the technology such as fencing, cameras, and sensors currently used at the border. Agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection shared the hard work agents are doing to inspect trucks at the border and seize drugs like meth and fentanyl.

"America is a nation of immigrants, and nowhere is that clearer than in our Valley. Sadly, our immigration system is broken because politicians are putting extreme politics ahead of real people. We are dealing with a crisis at the Border that demands solutions," said Congressman Duarte. "I was proud to tour the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and learn firsthand from our brave border agents about the challenges they face on the ground in securing our borders and combating drug trafficking. It's time Democrats and Republicans put their differences aside and bring both parties together to secure the Border and protect immigrant families in the United States."

Congressman Duarte is a leader in bipartisan immigration reform, including co-leading or cosponsoring the following bills: Border Security and Migrant Safety Act of 2023 (H.R.6392), Stop Coyotes’ Oppression and Organized Trafficking, and Ensuring Safety Act (H.R.6281), and Integrating New Technologies to Empower Law Enforcement at Our Borders Act (H.R.6391). Congressman Duarte continues to fight for more funding to combat illegal drug trafficking. Duarte introduced the HIDTA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (H.R.7185) to help law enforcement get drugs and drug traffickers off our streets.