BISMARCK, N.D. – In a letter today to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Gov. Doug Burgum stressed his opposition to the transfer of detained migrants from the southern border to North Dakota being considered by DHS, as media have reported. While the White House has said there are no such plans, North Dakota’s homeland security director has requested a detailed briefing from DHS on the matter.
The text of the governor’s letter to Secretary Mayorkas is below:
“As a northern border state, we have seen unsettling media reports that North Dakota is being considered by Department of Homeland Security officials as a site for the relocation of migrants detained at the south Texas border. Our latest communication from the White House, received Monday, March 22, stated that ‘CBP continually evaluates possible contingency plans and adjusts its operations as circumstances dictate, but currently there are no plans to transfer migrants from the Southwest border to the Northern or Coastal borders. We will be sure to work with DHS to reach out if the situation changes.’
“To be clear, our administration does not support the transfer to North Dakota of migrants who have entered the United States without permission. While our state willingly participates in the resettlement of legal, thoroughly vetted refugees, we strongly oppose any efforts to alleviate the southern border crisis of the overwhelming influx of migrants by transporting them to northern border states such as North Dakota. This crisis is the product and responsibility of the Biden administration, and shifting the problem and public safety costs to North Dakota and other northern border states would place our communities at risk while doing nothing to address the root causes of the ongoing crisis at the southern border. We urge the administration to address this crisis at the source, fully enforce federal immigration laws, and reassure northern border states that relocation is not on the table.”