Our taxpayer dollars are supposed to help protect us. Shouldn’t what we’ve already been paying for be put to good use? Record numbers of violent fugitives are confirmed to be among the surge of aliens entering the United States illegally. The Biden Administration steadfastly refuses to use existing federal programs funded by American taxpayers to track aliens and ensure compliance with mandatory immigration proceedings. Something must change.

Last month, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a Brazilian fugitive in Somerville, Massachusetts, who was convicted of murder, robbery, and aggravated assault in Brazil. The illegal alien, an active member of Brazil’s largest gang, Primeiro Comando da Capital, was initially apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol near San Luis, Arizona. He did not disclose his conviction status to agents and was allowed to enter the country with little concern for his background.

Under current policies, illegal immigrants are trusted to tell the truth about their criminal past before being released with minimal monitoring. This means that more than a few wanted killers are likely part of the over 2 million illegal aliens who have crossed the southern border since Biden assumed office—and the situation is unlikely to improve soon. The administration claims it is vetting migrants, but when that “vetting” involves asking a fugitive murderer if he has committed crimes in other countries, it is a farce. Fugitives are given court dates—sometimes years away—with no assurance they will appear.

The story out of Somerville is one of many confirmed cases of violent fugitives wandering freely in the U.S. due to the administration’s refusal to enforce the law. A week earlier, an illegal alien was arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman in El Paso, Texas. Border Patrol stated that migrants with criminal histories or active warrants are usually returned to their countries. In this case, officials found no prior criminal history in America but lacked access to records from other nations.

The solution is straightforward: ICE and Border Patrol need to detain and monitor illegal immigrants to the extent the country can manage. There are empty detention facilities across the U.S., and existing infrastructure like the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program could track immigrants with monitors. The Biden Administration is not fully utilizing these capabilities, leaving the border out of control.

Our taxpayer dollars are supposed to help protect us. Shouldn’t what we’ve already been paying for be put to good use?