Jon Myers for Congress: FWD: Border security is NATIONAL security

Back in March, we sent the email below after two Venezuelan nationals committed heinous crimes right here in Virginia while being in the U.S. illegally.  Now, earlier this month, a Jordanian national and another individual on a terror watch list, both of whom entered our country illegally just months earlier, tried to infiltrate Marine Corps Base Quantico before the quick-thinking Marines stopped them using emergency barriers.   My wife is stationed at Quantico. Many of you have family and friends who report there, too. This attack is personal for me. Not only were we directly targeted here in Virginia, but at a U.S. Marine base that serves as the hub for all Marine Corps operations and training. As an American, Virginian, Marine and husband, I thank God everyone is safe.   You probably didn't even know it happened. That's because there are those who don't want you to.    As a 30-year Marine, intelligence officer, and national security expert, I know that China, Iran, and terror groups from the Middle East and Africa are exploiting our open borders. It's just a matter of time before something terrible happens.   Our government has failed their greatest duty: to provide for the common defense of America.    Send me to Congress and I will fight to keep our communities safe and our borders secure. Semper Fi, Jon Myers  --------- Forwarded Message --------- From: Jon Myers Subject: Border security is NATIONAL security   Every Marine knows, the first action in providing for a good defense is to "secure the perimeter." To protect those within.    Our federal government and the permanent political class have failed us. They have allowed our borders to collapse. The President, the Congress, the judicial branch…they have neglected their greatest duty: to provide for the common defense of the United States and our sovereign borders. The results are obvious: an influx of illicit drugs, weapons, and unvetted people who pose huge security risks—not just for border states, but right here in Virginia as well.    At the end of February, a Venezuelan illegal immigrant was arrested for sexual assault on a 14-year-old girl in Campbell County, VA. A week prior to that, another Venezuelan illegal was arrested in Georgia for the gruesome murder of an innocent woman, Laken Riley. Just last year alone, nearly 112,000 lives were lost to the fentanyl epidemic. That's equivalent to TWO Vietnam Wars every year. And yet, the leftist media mocks us on live TV for our concerns about illegal aliens.

As a Marine with 28 years of national security experience, I know what it takes to enact a good security plan. It means investing in technology and infrastructure to enhance surveillance capabilities and border patrol effectiveness. It also means providing necessary resources to support our law enforcement agencies and ensure they can do their jobs safely and effectively. It means following a legal immigration process, and shutting down the illegal one.   Virginia's 7th congressional district needs an experienced leader with a proven track record of offering tangible solutions to our nation's complex challenges—that leader is me. As a Marine, I've seen firsthand the chaos that rages outside our borders in conflict zones through the Middle East, Africa, and cartel-controlled Mexican states. It has given me a deep understanding of the importance of protecting our sovereign borders. As your representative, I will fight tirelessly to ensure that our borders are secure and that our immigration system is fair and efficient. Thank you for trusting in me.