Four years into Joe Biden’s presidency, most people understand that the dysfunction coming out of Washington has given us a border crisis in which every state has turned into a border state. So it’s no wonder that a recent Gallup poll showed immigration as the top issue for the third straight month, the longest stretch for this topic in the last 24 years. 

While Washington remains in gridlock and the Biden administration has failed to secure the border, state Republicans are the last line of defense against the influx of illegal immigrants, a soaring fentanyl crisis, and an unsecured southern border. Luckily, state Republican leaders have answered the call and have taken unprecedented action in this time of crisis. 

A total of 14 Republican-led states have mobilized their National Guards and deployed them to Texas to defend the southern border. Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) is using every tool in his power to secure the border in the absence of the federal government. States such as Louisiana and Florida and many others have passed legislation to combat the fentanyl crisis. 

In the commonwealth of Virginia that I call home, there has been no greater microcosm of the differences in how Republicans and Democrats view the border crisis. I was proud to work with Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) and state Republicans to pass legislation that cracks down on fentanyl manufacturers.

But following the Virginia primary this year, national Democrats such as Jen Psaki brazenly mocked Virginia voters for stating that immigration and border security were their top concerns. Currently, five Virginians per day die of a fentanyl overdose. This isn’t funny. It’s serious, and state Democrats around the country are only adding to the problem.

While Biden and “border czar” Vice President Kamala Harris do nothing in Washington, Democrat-led states continue to promote sanctuary policies that are costing hundreds of millions of dollars in migrant housing and overwhelming hospital systems with migrant visits, leading Democratic mayors such as Eric Adams to reconsider sanctuary laws in New York. That isn’t stopping Democrat-led Minnesota from attempting to become the next sanctuary state.

And while Psaki was busy mocking Virginia for “sharing a border with West Virginia,” sanctuary states such as Massachusetts have been hosting migrant shelters along New Hampshire’s border, leading to hundreds of police visits and forcing New Hampshire Republicans to consider their options. In Arizona, the Republican-led legislature attempted to pass a border security measure, only for Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) to turn around and veto it.

These are just a handful of the problems we’re facing while the southern border remains wide open. Fentanyl continues to flow across the southern border, and illegal immigrants are entering the country unchecked. That lack of a background check has led to sensational crimes happening around the country, including the killings of Laken Riley, Ruby Garcia, and so many others who have died as a direct result of these dangerous open border policies.

The Republican State Leadership Committee identified in March how critical immigration and border security will be this fall after analyzing a survey commissioned by its 501(c)(4) policy partner, the State Government Leadership Foundation. The survey found 30% of voters listed immigration and border security as their top issue, and voters trust state Republicans over Democrats to handle this subject (51% to 34%).

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That’s why the Republican State Leadership Committee is making substantial investments to message on immigration and border security in key battleground states, launching a six-figure ad campaign that will run through the summer ahead of November.

With over 9.4 million illegal immigrants entering the country under Biden’s tenure, state Republicans will continue to message on one of the top concerns among voters. As the chairman of the Republican Legislative Campaign Committee, I am encouraging our candidates to continue to deliver that winning message on border security to voters so we can add to our GOP majorities, reclaim majorities, and take the fight to Democrats nationwide in November.

Todd Gilbert is the chairman of the RLCC and the Republican leader of the Virginia House of Delegates.