Risch: Title 42 expiration will open immigration floodgates

As one of several lawmakers who just introduced legislation to stop the smuggling of fentanyl into the United States, U.S. Sen. Jim Risch is firm in his stance on immigration and enforcement at the southern border.

“Our view ought to be, ‘Close the back door tight and open the front door carefully, and let’s let in here who we want in here,’" the Republican from Idaho said Friday during a stop at The Coeur d’Alene Press office in downtown Coeur d'Alene.

He said immigrants in modern times are more educated about border procedures than their predecessors.

“These people now, because of social media and everything else, are fully schooled in what is happening on the border and with border patrol," he said. "With Title 42 expiring, they understand this is going to open the floodgates wide. I have heard in the media that the administration is supposedly working on some solution or answer to keep it down to only 1,000 a day or something like that. There’s going to be thousands coming in."

Title 42 is a COVID-19-related code that allows health officials to suspend entry into the states to protect public health and welfare. It was implemented by the Trump administration at the start of the pandemic. Title 42 mandates that migrants be expelled from the border regardless of asylum needs and it is scheduled to end May 11, along with the government's public health emergency.

"Title 42 provides a tool, and it’s going to go away," Risch said.

He touched on how four presidents — Democrats and Republicans — worked on building a southern border wall, although Trump was the most vocal about it. Walls are not perfect, he said, “but they’re effective.”

On the northern border, Risch said he, Sen. Mike Crapo and Rep. Russ Fulcher are putting on pressure to keep open the Porthill-Rykerts Border Crossing, which connects Bonners Ferry to Creston, British Columbia, Canada. They celebrated when the U.S. Customs and Border Protection decided to extend Porthill's hours after the lawmakers wrote to Executive Assistant Commissioner Pete Flores encouraging CBP to extend hours at Porthill as a part of the pilot program that would evaluate traffic flow.

“Porthill serves a vital role connecting North Idaho’s economy with Canada," Risch said in a March 28 news release. "It also is an increasingly important link allowing tourism in the Gem State. I’m proud Sen. Crapo, Rep. Fulcher and I were able to convince the Biden administration to extend the port’s hours. I will continue advocating for our port to return to the normal, pre-pandemic hours of 7 a.m. until 11 p.m."

Also related to the pandemic, Risch discussed concerns about the U.S. possibly surrendering sovereignty to the World Health Organization, without advice or consent from the Senate.

Risch said the WHO has repeatedly failed in its mission to protect global health, and he noted China has significant influence with the U.N. and the WHO.

“They stole every good idea that we had, except our democracy and our freedoms and the human rights that we have here,” he said. “They have ambitions.”

Risch said he’s not going to allow any treaty to occur that would cede U.S. sovereignty. Through a Senate resolution, Risch has proposed a rule change.

“This resolution would prevent President Biden, or any future president, from ignoring the Constitution and surrendering American sovereignty to an unreliable, unaccountable WHO,” Risch wrote in a March editorial published on risch.senate.gov.

On the subject of global politics, Risch said many people see China and Russia as being very similar, but they’re not.

Russia is consumed with the old czarist imperial way of doing things, he said, while China is “all about money.”

"People are concerned about a China-Russia relationship and should be. But I don’t take it as strongly as some people do," Risch said. "For all the ballyhoo we saw, them meeting and holding hands, and their partnership is unlimited. So far, no one has found a scintilla of evidence they have contributed a penny to the Russians for the Ukrainian war. It has not happened.”

Tensions between mainland China and Taiwan have been increasing, and Taiwan could become a flashpoint in U.S.-China relations.

“Our second-largest trading partner on the planet, for Idaho, is Taiwan. If something happens there, whatever happens there, would have tremendous consequences right here in Idaho," Risch said. "Disruption is a horrible thing. You can deal with things if they happen slowly and incrementally, but if they’re disrupted — and COVID’s probably the best example — it’s tough to deal with.”