Northeast South Dakota News

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) addressed the Senate floor, highlighting a significant reduction in encounters at the southern border during June. According to Thune, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded 9,306 encounters for the month, a stark contrast to figures under President Biden's administration which often exceeded 200,000 monthly.

Thune remarked on this progress: "It’s difficult to overstate just how much progress this reflects." He noted that during December 2023 alone, there were 301,981 encounters at the border.

Thune attributed the change to President Trump's commitment to enforcing laws: "What we’re seeing here is a president committed to fulfilling his responsibilities – namely, enforcing the law."

He also discussed legislative efforts supporting these changes through what he called "the One Big Beautiful Bill," aimed at enhancing border security with funding for barriers and technology. The bill includes provisions for additional Border Patrol agents and detention space.

Thune quoted an acting ICE director expressing concerns about staffing shortages due to sanctuary city policies: “Our ranks have really shrunk... we really don’t have enough to do the law enforcement mission.”

The bill also addresses immigration case backlogs by allocating Department of Justice funds for hiring more judges. Thune emphasized that resolving cases promptly is crucial: “Immigration cases should be decided in weeks [or] months [– not] years.”

Concluding his remarks, Thune stressed the importance of national security through effective border management: “One of the most basic responsibilities of the federal government is providing for our nation’s security.”