BREAKING: House Overwhelmingly Passes Landmark Bill to Combat Mexican Cartel Tunnels—Only One Vote Against It
In a rare moment of bipartisan unity, the House of Representatives has taken decisive action to crack down on the Mexican cartels’ sophisticated tunnel networks, which have been used to smuggle illegal immigrants, drugs, and other illicit goods into the United States. With an overwhelming 402-1 vote, lawmakers sent a clear message: securing America’s borders is a priority that transcends party lines.
The lone dissenter? Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, who stood as the only member of Congress to vote against the measure. Fox News Digital reached out to her office for an explanation, but as of now, there has been no response.
Bipartisan Backing for Stronger Border Security
The bill, known as the Subterranean Border Defense Act, was spearheaded by Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), with notable support from Democratic Rep. Lou Correa (D-Calif.), showing that common-sense border security measures can gain traction across the aisle. The legislation directs U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to submit annual reports to Congress detailing cartel tunnel operations and the U.S. response to counteract them.
“Since 1990, officials have discovered more than 140 tunnels that have breached the U.S. border, with an 80% increase in tunnel activity since 2008,” Crane highlighted during Monday’s floor debate. “With border crossings thankfully decreasing since January, it’s safe to assume this will drive threats to our border underground through these tunnels.”
A United Front Against Cartel Exploitation
The bill enjoyed support from key Republican leaders, including Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.), who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee’s subcommittee on border security. “We cannot allow cartels to exploit weaknesses in our border security. This legislation provides a critical step toward ensuring law enforcement has the tools needed to combat this underground threat,” Guest stated.
Crane and Correa were the only lawmakers who spoke during the bill’s debate, and no House member formally opposed the measure. Correa emphasized that this legislation “will improve Congress’ efforts to counter illicit cross-border tunnels and hold bad actors accountable.”
Tlaib’s Lone Opposition Raises Eyebrows
Despite near-universal support, Rep. Rashida Tlaib was the only member of Congress to vote against the bill, a move that has sparked intense speculation. With both conservative and progressive members uniting behind the initiative, her decision stands out as an outlier in an otherwise unanimous show of force against cartel smuggling operations. As of now, Tlaib’s rationale remains unknown.
A Fast-Tracked Path Forward
House leaders used a special legislative process known as “suspension of the rules” to accelerate the bill’s passage, requiring a two-thirds majority for approval. Given the massive bipartisan support, the bill easily cleared this hurdle, demonstrating just how critical lawmakers see the fight against cartel-driven border crimes.
As the legislation moves to the Senate, all eyes will be on the next steps to strengthen border security and eliminate the underground networks that have long facilitated illegal trafficking. With Congress now laser-focused on cutting off the cartels’ secret pathways into the U.S., the era of unchecked tunnel smuggling may soon be coming to an end.
Stay tuned for further developments as this landmark bill advances.
