Governor Polis and Fellow Governors Call Upon Congress To Secure the Border, Act to Assist Cities and States Handling Migrant Influx
DENVER - Today, Governor Polis and fellow Governors called upon Congressional Leaders and the Biden Administration to come together to reach a border security deal that will support states, like Colorado, seeing an influx of new arrivals.
“We need Congress to take action to secure our border and pass comprehensive immigration reform. States can’t do this alone. It’s time to put politics aside and deliver the real solutions and support that states like Colorado, and many others, need,” said Colorado Governor Jared Polis.
The group of governors called upon Congress to put politics aside and provide cities and states with funding and long-needed immigration reforms. Governor Polis joined New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.
“As Governors representing over 100 million Americans, we write to call on Washington to work together to solve what has become a humanitarian crisis,” the Governors wrote. “Last year, President Biden put forward a $106 billion supplemental funding request to address immediate national security concerns, including $4.4 billion in desperately needed funding for a robust, federal migration strategy with $1.4 billion in aid to states and localities,” The Governors continued.
“Without seriously securing the border, providing interior states relief and real reform the challenges facing states and localities will only grow,” added Colorado Governor Jared Polis.
Read the Governors’ full letter.
Governor Polis has consistently called upon the federal government and Congress to secure the border and pass meaningful and comprehensive immigration reform legislation. In early 2023, Governor Polis urged the Department of Homeland Security to expand Temporary Protective Status to allow for temporary work permits for new Venezuelan migrants, which was granted later in the year.
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