By John Lee/Candidate for Congressional District 4

“At the time of my election as Mayor of North Las Vegas in 2013, I was able to surround myself with a brilliant, well-rounded team of people that helped me to develop smart policy, wise resource investment into our police, and proactive community engagement. Together, we produced some radical changes for public safety. While it takes some time and hard work, it is not impossible! It simply requires someone with common sense, care for their community, and experience in a crisis.

John Lee

I believe the principles we used in making North Las Vegas safer must be applied to the current crisis at our nation’s border. The Biden Administration has failed us. Perhaps most alarming with this influx of illegal immigrants is that our foreign adversaries have openly taken advantage of the crisis to infiltrate our country. The Pew Research Center reported in February 2024 that there has been a surprising increase in Border Patrol encounters at our Southern border with individuals from China. In December 2023, they reported about 6,000 incidents, up from only 900 a year before.

The fentanyl crisis, brought on by sharp increases in trafficking, has just added to the already terrible burden of drug overdoses and deaths in our country. In fact, the Southern Nevada Health District released a statement in March 2024 which stated, “Between 2020 and 2023…,the number of overdose deaths among Clark County residents involving the concurrent use of fentanyl with methamphetamine or cocaine increased 97%, rising from 73 deaths to 144 deaths, respectively.”

I know how to do better. Firstly, we must unapologetically seal our Northern and Southern borders and build the wall to the South. More than this, we should cut off all financial support to the Mexican government until they do their part to secure their side of the border.

Secondly, no immigrant who is in the United States illegally should be permitted to own property in the country or seek to gain it by squatting or other illegal means. Furthermore, we should not allow illegal immigrants to collect or qualify for public assistance or medical insurance if they are in this country illegally.

We should reinstate Title 42 of the U.S. Code. First mobilized during the Trump Administration to help control the spread of COVID-19, Title 42 required illegal immigrants be sent back to their country of origin and denied from seeking asylum. Before this practice, many were released into the U.S. while awaiting a court hearing for years. The Biden Administration, upon ending the COVID-19 emergency, said the policy was no longer necessary. I disagree, and I believe that reinstatement of Title 42 would help us to curb the rapid influx of illegal migrants.

Drug cartels who have perpetrated this deadly fentanyl crisis upon us should be labeled terrorist organizations by our State Department, because that’s exactly what they are. We should do everything within our power to seize their financial assets and cripple their industry. Furthermore, we should consider stopping all taxpayer-funded foreign aid to countries who do not put forth a good-faith effort to curb emigration from their own countries. And finally, we will allow no sales of farmland, minerals or natural resources to foreign countries, especially around our military bases. We will not allow our country to be owned by our adversaries, nor will we stand by as our national security is threatened from within.

Public safety has always been and will continue to be my priority as your U.S. Congressman, and that safety requires a secure border. I know what to do, and I hope you’ll help me do it!”