Big Sky Times

Tim Sheehy, U.S. Senate candidate in Montana, stated that American leaders need to seal the border and stop current border policies from allowing criminals to enter the country. Sheehy shared his statement with Big Sky Times on June 26.

"Too many families are left to grieve the loss of loved ones at the hands of murderous thugs because of Joe Biden and Jon Tester's radical pro-illegal immigration, pro-crime open border policies," said Sheehy. "Right now, we have migrant criminals, terrorists, drug traffickers, murderers, and rapists invading our country through our open southern border because of the Biden-Tester agenda. We've got to stop this madness, and we need strong leaders to seal the border, crush the cartels, end illegal immigration once and for all, and protect American families!"

Two illegal immigrants from Venezuela were charged with the murder of a 12-year-old girl, Jocelyn Nungaray, in Texas, according to Fox News. Both men had been apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol at the time of their crossing and then released into the interior of the country. A Maryland mother, Rachel Morin, was allegedly raped and murdered by Victor Martin Hernandez on August 5, 2023. Hernandez, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, was arrested in June 2024 for her murder. Hernandez allegedly came to the United States after murdering a woman in El Salvador.

The House Homeland Security Committee released a report on these attacks. According to the Committee, the Biden administration’s termination of border policies like the Remain in Mexico policy and Title 42 has contributed to the rise in such crimes. The Committee said that current vetting processes for illegal immigrants are not "adequate" due to the "overwhelming number of daily crossings and limited resources." The recent legislative and executive actions will not address these issues and would not prevent similar tragedies in the future, they said.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Border Patrol has arrested 10,337 individuals with existing criminal convictions illegally crossing to date in FY24.

Sheehy is a husband and father of four children, according to his website. He is also a combat veteran who served as a Navy SEAL Officer and Team Leader and has earned decorations including the Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart Medal.

Sheehy criticized Tester for voting against the Laken Riley Act, which mandates federal immigration authorities detain criminal illegal immigrants until deportation. According to Sheehy's press release, Tester also voted in favor of counting immigrants for Electoral College purposes and against preventing illegal migrant flights funded by American taxpayer dollars.