Austin News

U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) addressed the Senate floor to extend his congratulations to President Trump and Vice President JD Vance. He also commended the appointment of Texan Mike Banks as the new U.S. Border Patrol Chief.

Cornyn expressed his approval, stating, “I want to express my personal congratulations, along with that of millions of people across the country, to President Trump and our former colleague, JD Vance.”

He criticized the previous administration's policies, remarking, “The last four years the Biden administration policies have been nothing but a disaster for the nation, and no state has been more negatively affected than my state, the State of Texas.” Cornyn highlighted issues faced by border enforcement under prior leadership: “Without deterrence under the Biden administration, the Border Patrol has simply been overwhelmed.”

Acknowledging border agents' efforts, he stated: “The men and women who serve in the Border Patrol are my heroes.” He assured support from the current administration: “Under President Trump, all of our Border Patrol agents will start receiving the support they need and that they deserve from the federal government.”

President Trump's initial actions in office were also noted by Cornyn. He mentioned measures taken to address border concerns: “President Trump used his first day in office to make a number of actions addressing this crisis: He declared that this historic ongoing crisis is a national emergency... He designated cartels... as foreign terrorist organizations... [and] directed... resumption of migrant protection protocols.”

Senator Cornyn expressed satisfaction with Mike Banks' appointment as Border Patrol Chief. "I’m also thrilled that President Trump has chosen a new U.S. Border Patrol chief—a Texan, Mike Banks,” he said.

Praising Banks' credentials and experience at managing border challenges, Cornyn added: "I have had the privilege of getting to know Mike, and I know his qualifications... competence... firsthand experience dealing with challenges at our border." Concluding on an optimistic note about future collaborations with both Banks and President Trump towards enhancing security measures: "I look forward to working with him and President Trump to secure our borders and make our communities safe again."