Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Tuesday introduced a bill to bring processing centers for migrants to where the "Democrat elites host their cocktail parties."
Cruz introduced the Stop the SURGE Act to demand President Joe Biden and Democrats address the crisis at the southern border, which has been flooded by migrants seeking entrance into the U.S.
The legislation would establish new ports of entry in 13 communities across the country and mandate all migrants encountered at Border Patrol Sectors in Texas be transferred to these new ports for processing. That would help alleviate the workload for overwhelmed Border Patrol and local law enforcement.
The new ports would be located in places such as Napa Valley, California; Greenwich, Connecticut; Rehoboth Beach, Delaware; and North Hero, Vermont.
"I am introducing this crucial legislation to alleviate the massive overload at the southern border by establishing new ports of entry in Democrat-led communities such as North Hero, Vermont, where Bernie Sanders spends his summers, and Martha's Vineyard, where Democrat elites host their cocktail parties," Cruz wrote on his Senate website.
Cruz said, "if Washington Democrats had to endure even a fraction of the suffering South Texas families, farmers, ranchers, and small businesses have had to face, our nation's immigration laws would be enforced, the wall would be built, and the Remain in Mexico policy would be re-implemented."
"My Democrat colleagues have hosted hearing after hearing on amnesty and federalizing elections while completely ignoring the crisis at our southern border," Cruz said. "From my time this year on the ground in Laredo and Del Rio, it is abundantly clear that President Biden has all but abandoned our border patrol agents and processing facilities, and left Texas communities to fend for themselves.
"President Biden and Democrats need to step up to defend our southern border and support our heroic Customs and Border Protection officials."
Cruz's bill would mandate that all migrants encountered at Border Patrol Sectors in Texas be transferred to the new ports for processing. It also would "require insulated communities to help shoulder the burdens of [Democrats'] preferred open-border policies."
More than 1.5 million migrants overall were encountered at the U.S.-Mexico border in the 12 months through September, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection statistics.