In a rare show of unity on Capitol Hill, the House overwhelmingly passed a bill targeting Mexican cartel smuggling tunnels used to breach America’s southern border. Can you believe the Democrats actually backed sane legislation for once?
At a glance:
• The Subterranean Border Defense Act passed the House with a near-unanimous 402-1 vote
• Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) was the only lawmaker to vote against the border security measure
• The bill was spearheaded by Republican Rep. Eli Crane and co-sponsored by Democrat Lou Correa
• It requires annual reports to Congress on tunnel use and law enforcement countermeasures
• Since 1990, over 140 smuggling tunnels have been discovered with an 80% increase since 2008
Bipartisan Effort Tackles Underground Threat
The newly-passed Subterranean Border Defense Act represents a significant bipartisan effort to combat the sophisticated tunnel systems used by Mexican cartels to smuggle drugs, weapons, and people into the United States. Led by Republican Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona and co-sponsored by Democrat Lou Correa of California, the bill aims to enhance congressional oversight of this growing national security threat.
The legislation requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection to submit detailed annual reports to Congress documenting tunnel discoveries, enforcement efforts, and strategies to counter these illicit pathways. Since 1990, officials have discovered more than 140 tunnels breaching the U.S. border, with an alarming 80% increase in tunnel activity occurring since 2008.
Tlaib Stands Alone Against Border Security
In a move that shocked the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) cast the sole vote against the bipartisan measure aimed at strengthening border security. The Michigan Democrat’s opposition stands in stark contrast to the 194 Democrats and 208 Republicans who supported the bill, highlighting her extreme position even within her own party.
Tlaib offered no explanation for her dissenting vote, and no speeches opposing the measure were delivered during the brief floor debate.
Critical Step for National Security
The legislation was fast-tracked under suspension of the rules, indicating broad consensus on the urgency of addressing this security vulnerability. During floor debate, Democratic co-sponsor Lou Correa praised the bill as “an important step in the right direction” that “will improve Congress’ efforts to counter illicit cross-border tunnels and hold bad actors accountable.”
Rep. Crane emphasized the critical nature of the threat, noting that “as transnational criminal organizations continue to grow in both size and sophistication, illicit cross-border tunnels along the southwest border of the United States represent a significant and growing threat to national security.” The Arizona Republican declared the bill’s passage “a massive win for our security.”
The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration, where it’s expected to receive similar bipartisan support.
Thank God the Democrats saw sense…for once.
