WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the highest-ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, led his colleagues in examining threats to the U.S. homeland and South America during a hearing on the posture of U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).

In his opening remarks, Senator Wicker highlighted the many vulnerabilities for NORTHCOM as it continues to receive short shrift for the procurement of radar and other air defense capabilities. Senator Wicker cited the Chinese spy balloon that traversed the U.S. in 2023 as evidence.

“Year after year, the Biden administration has declined to fund NORTHCOM’s request for the radars and sensors it needs for proper air defense. Numerous bases on American soil remain unable to protect themselves against small drones. This presents a clear and significant vulnerability. On top of it all, our wargames continue to ignore crucial domestic resilience problems that would arise in a potential conflict,” Senator Wicker said. “The Biden administration also refuses to learn from its homeland defense mistakes. Last year’s Chinese surveillance balloon lapse – the lapse of last year’s defenses with regard to the Chinese surveillance balloon – is a case in point.” 

Senator Wicker also raised the enormous national security problem on our southern border, which he noted has included alarming terrorist-related human trafficking and the smuggling of deadly fentanyl.

“The spy balloon was a significant failure, but the most pressing homeland defense crisis is the one at our southwest border. Approximately 70,000 Americans are dying annually from fentanyl overdoses. Most of the supply is synthesized in Mexico using Chinese precursor chemicals. Then, it is trafficked to the United States by Mexico’s criminal cartels. The crisis can only worsen as more deadly drugs flood the market…The cartels are also executing an unprecedented human trafficking operation across our open border,” Senator Wicker said. “And it is lucrative: The gangs are charging thousands of dollars for each person they traffic. The human tragedy is severe, and so is the risk of terrorist infiltration. As CNN reported this past summer, a human smuggling network with ties to ISIS helped more than a dozen individuals enter our country illegally.”

Read Senator Wicker’s opening statement as delivered below or watch it here.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I want to thank our witnesses for being with us here.

Our adversaries – particularly China and Russia – are actively working to exploit America’s vulnerabilities. They are doing so here at home and seeking to expand their influence in this Western Hemisphere.

The 2022 National Defense Strategy establishes homeland defense as its top priority. That was a year and a half ago. But the Biden administration has not matched that goal with action.

Year after year, the Biden administration has declined to fund NORTHCOM’s request for the radars and sensors it needs for proper air defense. Numerous bases on American soil remain unable to protect themselves against small drones. This presents a clear and significant vulnerability. On top of it all, our wargames continue to ignore crucial domestic resilience problems that would arise in a potential conflict.

The Biden administration also refuses to learn from its homeland defense mistakes. Last year’s Chinese surveillance balloon lapse – the lapse of last year’s defenses with regard to the Chinese surveillance balloon – is a case in point. Senior Biden administration defense officials responded evasively to congressional oversight, and they leaked classified information selectively to deflect blame. The president’s staff declined to conduct an internal review of the major air defense failure. They finally did so when this committee mandated it in the NDAA, as presided over by our distinguished Chair.

The spy balloon was a significant failure, but the most pressing homeland defense crisis is the one at our southwest border. Approximately 70,000 Americans are dying annually from fentanyl overdoses. Most of the supply is synthesized in Mexico using Chinese precursor chemicals. Then, it is trafficked to the United States by Mexico’s criminal cartels. The crisis can only worsen as more deadly drugs flood the market.

The cartels are also executing an unprecedented human trafficking operation across our open border. And it is lucrative: The gangs are charging thousands of dollars for each person they traffic. The human tragedy is severe, and so is the risk of terrorist infiltration. As CNN reported this past summer, a human smuggling network with ties to ISIS helped more than a dozen individuals enter our country illegally. In October, two Iranians who were on a security threat list were caught as they tried to cross the border from Mexico.

General Guillot, I recognize that many agencies have responsibility at the southwest border. But DOD is one of them. I hope you will explain how DOD’s border security contributions could be improved.

We also have challenges further south. I remain concerned about the growing Chinese threats in Central America and South America. The Chinese Communist Party continues to use its well-known playbook in the SOUTHCOM theater. It aggressively uses predatory economic and diplomatic practices to influence governments.

Simultaneously, it sets conditions to enhance its military presence, gather intelligence, and limit U.S. access and influence. Great power competition is happening right here in the Americas. We cannot ignore it.

Two quick examples underscore the urgency. Beijing is making Latin America dependent on Huawei for communications technology – something they tried to do in our country – an example of China’s economic influence campaign. We see the CCP’s military influence in Cuba, where we discovered a large Chinese intelligence collection center.

General Richardson, I look forward to hearing how these practices directly impact the stability of our region. We should understand the threat they pose to our national security – how real is it? How important is it?

Of course, there are other malign influences in this theater. Venezuelan President Maduro recently asserted a provocative, extra-territorial claim of sovereignty over a large, oil-rich portion of the neighboring nation of Guyana. This type of instability so close to our homeland is troubling. Even more troubling is the consistent mismatch between the requirements SOUTHCOM has, and the resources it receives. We need to find cost-effective ways to exert influence in this theater. For example, let’s explore the use of the Office of Strategic Capital in the future.

I look forward to General Richardson’s candid assessment of SOUTHCOM’s most pressing resource and capability shortfalls. And I am eager to learn what Congress can do to help.

General Guillot, I note that your name rhymes with hero, is that right? Okay, good. Well, we expect both of you to live up to these expectations. Thank you.