Macon Reporter

Dr. Lisa Smith, a candidate for State House District 96, has called on Americans to critically examine the actions of their elected representatives in relation to what she terms as an "invasion at the border." She advocates for holding U.S. representatives and senators accountable for the ongoing border crisis and underscores the pressing need to tackle this issue.

“Check out this site,” Smith said on Facebook. “Hold your US representatives and Senators accountable for the invasion at the border!”

“We have got to stop what is happening or we will not have a country. Stop the invasion or shut down the government. Call your representative and Senator Dick Durbin and Senator Tammy Duckworth who are stalling the funding for boarder security.”

The site Smith referred to is that of the Immigration Accountability Project (IAP). Amidst the Biden Administration's open-borders policies, IAP has intensified its efforts to educate Americans about immigration decisions made by elected officials. The organization asserts its commitment to fostering civil discourse on immigration issues and expresses concern over Congress's perceived failure to hold the administration accountable for the current border crisis. With a team comprising policy, politics, law, and media experts with over five decades of collective experience, IAP aims to provide educational resources through various channels including social media, electronic and print media, fact sheets, blogs and civic forums participation.

According to IAP data, approximately eight million illegal aliens have been encountered at the border with an additional estimated two million "gotaways" evading Border Patrol. Alarmingly, encounters with individuals on the terrorist watch list rose from three in 2020 to 172 in 2023. The number of convicted criminals and individuals with arrest warrants encountered by Border Patrol tripled since 2020.

Smith is a pediatric nurse practitioner holding a doctorate degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her campaign centers around defending constitutional rights and effecting positive change. Her commitment to family values is a significant aspect of her campaign, underscored by her 35-year marriage to a pastor, her role as a mother to ten children (seven adopted), and her family’s dedication to public service with three sons having served or currently serving in the military. Smith is also a certified pediatric mental health specialist according to her website.

State House District 96, which Smith is vying for, encompasses all or parts of Springfield, Decatur, Taylorville, Blue Mound, Mount Auburn, Niantic, Edinburg and Rochester. The seat is currently held by State Rep. Sue Scherer (D-Decatur). Scherer has held the position for ten years and is seeking another term to represent the district as per Ballotpedia.