In Washington, we’ve grown accustomed to partisan gridlock where Republicans and Democrats can barely agree on what day of the week it is. The political theater often resembles a never-ending tennis match of blame, with each side pointing fingers while everyday Americans just want functional solutions to real problems.

Imagine for a moment that someone proposed a simple home security measure in your neighborhood—just a regular report on where break-ins were happening so everyone could stay informed. You’d think that would be something everyone could get behind, regardless of political affiliation, right? After all, basic information about security threats just makes common sense.

The Underground Invasion You Haven’t Heard About

While much of the border crisis discussion focuses on what happens above ground, a serious threat lurks beneath our feet. Sophisticated drug cartels have been busy digging elaborate tunnels under the U.S.-Mexico border for decades, creating underground highways for drugs, weapons, and human trafficking.

“Since 1990, officials have discovered more than 140 tunnels that have breached the border, with an 80% increase in tunnel activity since 2008,” Republican Representative Eli Crane of Arizona stated on the House floor. These aren’t crude holes in the ground—they’re often engineering marvels complete with rail systems, electricity, and ventilation.

When Republicans and Democrats Actually Agreed on Something

In a rare display of bipartisanship, the House of Representatives recently passed the Subterranean Border Defense Act (H.R. 495) with an overwhelming vote of 402-1. The bill simply requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection to provide an annual report to Congress about cartel tunnel activities and what actions the government is taking to combat them.

That’s it. No wall funding. No controversial immigration policies. Just a basic request for information about a known security threat.

The bill attracted support from both sides of the aisle, with Democratic co-sponsor Lou Correra (D-CA) calling it “an important step in the right direction.” In fact, the legislation had eight co-sponsors, including both Republicans and Democrats—a refreshing example of putting national security above partisan politics.

From ‘Breitbart’:

“I thought for sure everyone was gonna vote yes on my bill this evening,” Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) posted on X following the vote. “402-1 is still pretty solid though.”

Standing Alone Against Border Security

So who was the lone dissenter in this sea of bipartisan agreement? None other than Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), a prominent member of the progressive “Squad.”

While 194 of her fellow Democrats joined 208 Republicans in supporting the bill, Tlaib stood completely alone in opposition. No one—not a single representative—spoke against the bill during floor debate. Even her fellow Squad members apparently saw no issue with simply gathering information about cartel tunnels.

What’s particularly puzzling is that the bill doesn’t implement any policy changes or allocate new funding—it simply requires an annual report about an existing security threat. One has to wonder: what possible objection could there be to Congress receiving information about criminal activities at our border?

Tlaib offered no public explanation for her vote, leaving Americans to speculate about her reasoning. Is gathering basic information about border security now considered controversial in some political circles? Or does this represent how far some politicians have drifted from common-sense governance?

The Price of Willful Blindness

When elected officials oppose even the collection of information about security threats, it raises serious questions about priorities. Knowledge is the foundation of effective policy, and choosing ignorance over awareness serves no one—except perhaps the cartels themselves, who benefit from our lack of coordinated response.

The bill now moves to the Senate, where it will likely receive similar bipartisan support. Meanwhile, the tunnels continue to be dug, the drugs continue to flow, and the American people continue to wonder why something as simple as information-gathering became a political statement.

In a functioning democracy, we should be able to agree that knowing where the threats are is the bare minimum requirement for addressing them. Apparently, for at least one member of Congress, even that is too much to ask.

Key Takeaways:

• Rep. Rashida Tlaib was the only member of Congress to vote against a bill requiring reports on cartel smuggling tunnels.
• The bipartisan bill simply requires information gathering about an established security threat, with no controversial policy implementations.
• Since 1990, officials have discovered more than 140 border tunnels, with activity increasing 80% since 2008.

Source: Breitbart