WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), joined colleagues in introducing the Southern Border Transparency Act. This legislation would require the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to accurately report how it is handling migrants encountered at the border, ensuring the American people have a full accounting of the number of migrants being released into the United States.

“When it comes to securing the southern border and reducing illegal crossings, the Biden administration has failed. Our bill will require the administration to report data they should already be sharing with the American people on the handling of migrants encountered at the border. Citizens deserve transparency for this administration's inept border policies,” said Senator Cramer.

Specifically, the Southern Border Transparency Act would require DHS to fully report on how it is handling migrants encountered at the border, including:

  • The number of migrants paroled at each POE and in each Border Patrol sector;
  • The number of migrants apprehended at each POE and in each Border Patrol sector and how many were granted voluntary departure, placed into expedited removal, or simply released into the interior;
  • The number of petitions for parole received and granted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); and
  • The total number of migrants paroled into the United States each fiscal year, whether they are granted work authorization, and whether they ultimately depart the United States when their parole expires.

Additional cosponsors include U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), James Lankford (R-OK), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Ted Budd (R-NC), Todd Young (R-IN), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Lee (R-UT), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Roger Marshall (R-KS), John Hoeven (R-ND), John Kennedy (R-LA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Katie Britt (R-AL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA).

Click here for bill text.