‘It’s worse than you could possibly imagine’: Oregon GOP lawmakers, candidates share thoughts on border visit

(Update: Adding video, comments from Sen. Knopp; news release from C.O. delegation)

Senator Tim Knopp: With M. 110 fixes in works, 'we have to go after the supply'

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Sixteen Oregon Republican state senators, representatives and candidates are touring the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona this week with the Border Security Alliance and meet with local officials to discuss issues related to human trafficking and the surge in shipments of deadly fentanyl.

"This is not a Republican issue. This is not a Democrat issue. This is a human tragedy, and a human rights issue," Oregon State Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp of Bend told us on Monday.  

"Roughly 1.5 million people that have come over the border, essentially unsecured, and let go into the United States, and they're going to every single state," he said. "Fifty percent of the fentanyl that's coming into the United States is coming through the Arizona border."

Knopp, state Senate candidate Michael Summers of Redmond, and House candidate Keri Lopez, also of Redmond, told us human trafficking and drug trafficking are problems directly affecting Oregonians. 

Knopp said, "For those who don't think this is an issue for Oregon, I beg to differ. It's a human tragedy. And whenever a human being is being exploited and used we should be standing up as a state, saying, 'Never here, and not again."

Knopp has long advocated for immigration restrictions and border security. He signed a letter, along with other Republican lawmakers, to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this year, applauding his efforts at the border.

Knopp will not be returning to office next year after missing more than 10 days of sessions on the Senate floor and losing a legal challenge claiming unclear wording in the voter-approved measure.

We also reached out for a Democratic response to the border visit by Republicans. 

State Rep. Emerson Levy, D-Bend, agreed in a statement to NewsChannel 21 that the fentanyl crisis is an important topic in the state, saying lawmakers across both aisles have been working together to tackle it.

But Knopp said from Arizona, "It's worse than you could possibly imagine. I think the American people, if they actually knew what was happening, Oregonians actually knew what was happening here, well, they would likewise be with us in calling for new policies."

Here's a news release issued Monday evening by the region's Republican delegation:

Central Oregon Republicans Visit Southern Border

Take Away: “Why Are Democrats Ignoring The Issue?”

Yuma, AZ – President Biden’s open border is a failure. It is a major threat to local food banks, advocacy centers, and hospitals who are taking huge financial losses. We are already seeing this in Oregon today. This will continue to get worse if we do not act now.

These are the key takeaways from Republican representatives, senators, and candidates who visited the southern border on Monday in Yuma, Arizona. Tim Knopp, Greg Smith, Vikki Breese-Iverson, Keri Lopez and Michael Summers were all in attendance.

“After seeing the human tragedy at the border in Yuma, Oregon Republican legislators are reviewing options for legislation to continue to stem the tide of dangerous and deadly drugs. Every state is now a border state. It’s time to get serious about making Oregonians safer from the Democrats' disastrous policies at the border,” said Senator Tim Knopp (R-Bend).

“If we don’t get control of the border, we won’t get a handle on the out of control drug cartels, human trafficking, and smuggling taking place on our highways and byways in Oregon,” said Representative Greg Smith (R-Heppner). “I have learned a lot on this trip, which I will undoubtedly take back to my district and ultimately to Salem to look at proactive legislation.”

“For many people, the border crisis does not seem real. Sadly, it is real and I’m seeing it with my own two eyes. We have a problem in America,” said Representative Vikki Breese-Iverson (R-Prineville). “Democrats don’t want to talk about the issues that matter to voters. The Biden Border Crisis is affecting all of us, and it is the #1 issue for Republicans and Independents in Oregon.”

“Our border towns have reached a breaking point. It was heartening to give Republican legislators and candidates from Oregon a first hand look at America’s border crisis. This is the struggle our communities face every day and it will spread to Oregon without swift action,” said Yuma County Supervisor and Border Security Alliance Chairman Jonathan Lines, who led the tour.

“It’s clear the control of our southern border has been handed over to the cartels. Learning about the horrific criminal activities that harm innocent people in search of the American Dream was heartbreaking," said candidate Michael Summers (R-Bend). “While I am a strong advocate for legal immigration, I cannot accept an open border at the expense of our safety and the exploitation of women and children.”

“Democrats like to talk about the root causes of a problem. The root cause of skyrocketing drug overdoses including teens and children in Oregon starts right here at the southern border,” said candidate Keri Lopez (R-Redmond). “I am running to represent District 53 in the Oregon Legislature to fix big problems with real solutions. I look forward to working on legislation to bring to Salem in 2025.”

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Here's last Thursday's announcement of the Republican border trip:

Though Oregon is not a border state, it still faces the consequences of America’s wide-open southern border. Mass quantities of dangerous cartel drugs are being smuggled across the border and into streets across America. Human traffickers have expedited the flow of migrants, including women and unaccompanied minors, who are vulnerable to sexual exploitation. If the Biden Administration won’t fix this crisis, we must do what we can as a state.

To better understand issues surrounding the southern border and how state lawmakers can minimize the widespread effects of mass illegal immigration, a group of Oregon Republican leaders will tour the border with Border Security Alliance and engage in discussions with Arizona officials.

“We know the overwhelming supply of fentanyl and other hard drugs on Oregon’s streets are largely coming across the southern border. Now that the Legislature has effectively ended the nationwide movement to decriminalize and destigmatize drugs by reversing much of Measure 110, we have to go after the supply,” said Senator Tim Knopp. “I know we are all looking forward to learning more about how we can do that on this important trip.”

“We are eager to welcome Oregon Republicans as they witness with their own eyes the devastation Biden’s immigration policies have had on Arizona. Every state is a border state now. I look forward to what this trip can provide them as states like Oregon grapple with this crisis,” said Chairman of the Border Security Alliance and former Chair of the Arizona Republican Party Jonathan Lines, who will lead the tour.

Attending the tour on April 29th:

Senator Tim Knopp, SD-27
Senator Fred Girod, SD-9
Representative Vikki Breese-Iverson, HD-59
Senator David Brock Smith, SD-1
Senator Kim Thatcher, SD-11
Representative Greg Smith, HD-57
Representative Court Boice, HD-1
Representative Virgil Osborne, HD-2
Representative Boomer Wright, HD-9
Representative Lucetta Elmer, HD-24
Representative Christine Goodwin, HD-4, Candidate SD-2
Representative Dwayne Yunker, HD-3
Bruce Starr, Candidate SD-8
Michael Summers, Candidate SD-27
Keri Lopez, Candidate HD-53
Noah Robinson, Candidate SD-2

“The crisis at the southern border represents everything wrong with mainstream Democrat policies. Here in Oregon, Republicans are choosing to be a proactive part of the solution. We cannot merely recriminalize drugs and expect the drug addiction and overdose crisis to go away. Oregon Democrats think they can bury their heads in the sand and let it be someone else’s problem, but we disagree,” said Representative Breese-Iverson.