Setting the Record Straight on ICE
In the first 2 weeks of the Trump Administration, 97% of illegal individuals removed from the United States had their deportation orders issued by the Biden Administration. This fact demonstrates that the Biden Administration was not prioritizing the removal of dangerous criminal individuals who were here illegally.
The truth of the matter is the Trump Administration has launched a targeted effort to remove criminals who are illegally in the United States. Here is my full statement on the matter. |
I encourage you to share this important information because there are individuals and organizations that are more interested in spreading fear than fact.
Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress have continued to support President Trump, helping to deliver on our promise to secure our northern and southern borders and keep Americans safe.
On January 29th, President Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law, which officially requires ICE to detain illegal immigrants who have committed theft and related violent crimes. This is the first piece of legislation signed by President Trump during his second term.
The Laken Riley Act is an important step in restoring ICE’s ability to enforce the law and defend our communities. I am proud to have supported this legislation to both honor Laken’s memory and prevent tragedies like hers from ever happening again. Below is a photo of President Trump handing the pen he signed the bill with to Laken’s mother. |
That isn’t the only action Congress has taken. Last night, I was proud to support, H.R. 27, the HALT Fentanyl Act, which passed the House by a vote of 312-108. This bill would permanently classify fentanyl-related substances as a Schedule I narcotic, increasing law enforcement’s ability to get these deadly drugs out of our communities. It also would help enforcement agencies adapt to the fact that cartels are smuggling not just fentanyl, but similar fatal formulations called “fentanyl-related substances."
The HALT Fentanyl Act is an important step forward in the battle against this poison. Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for adults ages 18-49, and sadly, we have experienced the deadly impact of Fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances in communities across Southwest Michigan. The HALT Fentanyl Act will ensure law enforcement has the tools and resources necessary to combat this deadly drug and help keep it off our streets. |
DOGE & Treasury
President Trump used his authority to rename and reorganize the United States Digital Service to the United States Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Service on January 20, 2025. DOGE is tasked with modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity. This executive order also directed federal agencies to establish their own DOGE teams, which may be comprised of Special Government Employees, to coordinate their work with DOGE. Special Government Employees are temporary government officials expected to work less than 130 days in a calendar year. At the direction of the President, entrepreneur and tech business owner, Elon Musk, has been closely engaged with DOGE in his capacity as a Special Government Employee. As you may know, it has been reported that U.S. Department of Treasury's DOGE team has expanded on the Biden Administration's review of the Bureau of the Fiscal Service's payment systems in order to improve payment integrity. In response to congressional concerns, the Treasury has made it clear that the ongoing operational review is not resulting in the suspension, delay, rerouting, or rejection of any payments, including those related to Social Security and Medicare payments. Furthermore, this review and the DOGE and veteran career Treasury officials involved are subject to all standard security, safety, and privacy standards. The Treasury has also highlighted the payment systems' already robust and effective protections. As this administration continues its important work to make our government's digital systems more efficient, I want to let you know that I agree that DOGE must abide by President Trump's executive order to work within the law and adhere to rigorous data protection standards. |
Strengthening Southwest Michigan's Economy
On Wednesday, the House Financial Services Committee held a hearing focused on strengthening community banks and the role they play in fostering economic growth and opportunity.
During the hearing, I made it a point to discuss the importance of having a regulatory structure that is based on common sense rather than one-size-fits-all mandates. There is no reason for a local community bank or, say, a credit union to be regulated in the same manner as the biggest banks in America.
For one, they don’t have the same risk profile, and secondly, it is much more costly for a community bank to comply with regulations intended for much larger financial institutions. As a result, there is less time and capital available to support local lending and economic growth.
To learn more about this important topic watch the video below. |
Later that day, Rep. Juan Vargas (D-CA) and I announced the reintroduction of the Credit Union Board Modernization Act to update the current requirements for federal credit union board meetings. This bill will permit federal credit union boards in good standing to meet every other month instead of monthly, allowing them to focus their resources on serving consumers and small businesses as well as supporting economic activity at the local level.
Credit unions play a critical role in helping local small businesses access credit while expanding economic opportunity for families across all walks of life. The Credit Union Board Modernization Act will go a long way in providing necessary regulatory relief for credit unions in Southwest Michigan and around the country. These commonsense reforms will allow federally chartered credit unions in good standing to be afforded the same, reasonable governance practices that already exist at the state level. I’m happy to lead this bipartisan effort with Congressman Vargas and look forward to seeing these reforms enacted into law. |
Air Travel Safety
My heart goes out to the families, friends, and loved ones impacted by the terrible collision that occurred at the Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). I have been monitoring this tragic situation and praying for both the Wichita and D.C. communities.
At the beginning of the week, I took a direct American Airlines regional flight from Grand Rapids to Washington, D.C., landing at the same airport where the collision occurred. After I landed, I went live on Facebook to provide the update linked below. I have full confidence in Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy as well as our air travel safety. |
Protecting Our Northern Border
Recently, an alleged member of a violent Venezuelan gang was arrested trying to cross from Canada into Michigan, as reported by Wood TV8. This is a serious reminder that Michigan is a border state. Restoring border integrity means securing both our southern and northern borders. Thank you to the men and women at Border Patrol and ICE for working to enforce our laws and keep our nation safe.
With that in mind, I wanted to share with you that I will serve as the Republican Co-Chair of the Northern Border Caucus with Democrat Tim Kennedy of New York. This caucus is a bipartisan working group on United States-Canada affairs. Our northern border includes more than 100 international crossings and stretches over 5,000 miles, representing the largest international land border in the world. You can read my full statement below. |
Introducing the Responsible Budgeting Act
Yesterday, Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) and I introduced the Responsible Budgeting Act (RBA) to reform how Congress tackles the national debt limit and avoid the dangerous and costly brinksmanship that threatens the national economy. The plan would offer two options for Congress to address the debt limit:
Option 1 requires a budget resolution that satisfies specific debt reduction measures while simultaneously passing a joint resolution the president can sign to suspend the debt limit until the next fiscal year.
Option 2 allows the president to suspend the debt ceiling himself via a written request, which Congress could vote to override within 30 days of its submission. This suspension request must be submitted along with a debt reduction proposal to reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio that Congress must consider.
As the nation faces a default on the debt as soon as mid-summer, the RBA provides a commonsense off-ramp that would defang the politics of the debt ceiling while, importantly, maintaining pressure on Congress to reverse our reckless borrowing problem.
Our nation's $36 trillion debt crisis is fueling higher prices and making life increasingly unaffordable for families and small businesses today while also mortgaging our children's and grandchildren's future. Washington has repeatedly failed to properly complete the budget process over the last two decades. The status quo isn't working. The debt ceiling, in its current form, has yet to achieve its intended and designed purpose. This is why I am proud to join Congressman Scott Peters, my Bipartisan Fiscal Forum Co-Chair, in introducing the Responsible Budgeting Act to provide a better option for dealing with dysfunctional debt ceiling politics and address our nation's fiscal crisis. |
Thank you for reading this edition of the Huizenga Huddle. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call my office or send me an email at huizenga.house.gov/contact/. |
|
