I had a sobering and eye-opening briefing with law enforcement in Walworth County about the effect of illegal immigration on their small community.

U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil and I listened to local law enforcement officers led by Walworth County Sheriff Dave Gerber and Whitewater Police Chief Dan Meyer as they explained what they're seeing in their county.

The national media will pay attention to big cities like Chicago and New York but little mention is made of the challenges faced by smaller cities. The impact on Walworth County resources is devastating. Issues range from communication barriers, to overcrowded housing, to overburdened schools. And then there's the criminal element bringing with it cocaine and fentanyl. Law enforcement says their drug arrests have traced a quarter million dollars from Whitewater directly back to drug cartels.

Whitewater is still a safe community, but the root cause of these issues is our nation's wide open southern border. I have said many times that our open border presents a clear and present danger to national security. Six million people have crossed our borders since President Biden took office. That's more people than live in the entire state of Wisconsin. We must secure our border.

WATCH: News Conference with Walworth County/Whitewater Law Enforcement