In a harrowing weekend assault, Hamas militants breached Israel’s borders, plunging the nation into chaos with rockets and gunfire, all while taking innocent civilians and military personnel as hostages. As Israel fiercely retaliated, the GOP seized the moment to emphasize the paramount importance of bolstering our own borders.

The GOP’s stance on this matter is twofold. First, they see the incursion across the Israel-Gaza border as a stark reminder of the necessity for robust border defenses. Second, they warn that Hamas terrorists may have already infiltrated our borders, ready to launch terror attacks on American soil should we become embroiled in this conflict.

Former Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, took to Twitter with a sense of urgency, proclaiming, “Now is the time for bold action. Here’s how America must meet the moment: 1. Rescue all American hostages 2. Provide full support for our ally Israel 3. Confront Iran and the new Axis of Evil 4. Focus on securing our own open border 5. Condemn antisemitism in the United States.”

In a video accompanying his message, Rep. McCarthy underscored the gravity of the situation, warning that terrorists may already be lurking within our borders. He exclaimed, “We should wake up ourselves. We could have the same thing happen next week to us. We caught more people on the terrorist watchlist in February than we caught in the entire administration. We could have cells sitting inside of America right now.”

McCarthy’s concerns are not unfounded. While Israel boasts a strong border at Gaza and competent intelligence services, America faces a seemingly open border. He argued, “We should take a step back and look at ourselves. Your intel is never perfect, and we’ve got a wide-open border. They’re coming from 160 different countries.”

Former President Donald Trump echoed these concerns on Truth Social, pointing out the alarming influx of individuals crossing our “TOTALLY OPEN SOUTHERN BORDER.” Trump questioned whether these same individuals who attacked Israel might be planning something within our own country. He castigated President Biden and his predecessor, Barack Hussein Obama, for the state of our borders, declaring, “Crooked Joe Biden and his BOSS, Barack Hussein Obama, did this to us!”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a 2024 contender, also weighed in on Twitter. He urged Israel to take decisive action against Hamas and stressed the need for America to secure its southern border to ward off potential terrorist threats. DeSantis insisted, “And right now, America must immediately do three things: (i) freeze any money Joe Biden has made available to Iran; (ii) cut off any and all types of foreign aid flowing to Hamas; and (iii) immediately shut down America’s wide-open southern border to ensure we are in a position to better protect Americans here at home from these real threats. These are incredibly dangerous times – but I have confidence that both the Israeli and American spirit can and will prevail over evil.”

The GOP’s concerns about open borders are further exacerbated by the realization that these incursions may not be isolated events. They could be part of a broader, coordinated effort by hostile actors seeking to exploit our vulnerabilities. It is a grave reminder that national security should be paramount in our minds.

As the debate rages on, one thing remains clear: the GOP is sounding the alarm on the dangers of open borders, urging Americans to recognize the potential threats lurking just beyond our doorstep. The question now is whether these concerns will be heeded and translated into action to protect our nation from harm.