HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Senator Tommy Tuberville spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Huntsville.
On Tuesday, Tuberville took a trip to Marshall Space Flight Center. On Wednesday, he toured Redstone Arsenal and visited Army Materiel Command.
WZDX News caught up with the senator before his tour Wednesday.
Tuberville on border security
Before traveling to Huntsville, Tuberville took a trip to McAllen, Texas with other GOP lawmakers to get a first hand look at what is happening at the border.
"We don't have control of the border. No, we do not," said Tuberville.
While in Texas, Tuberville says he saw mostly children and teens being held at the immigration facility. Tuberville described seeing a seven year old girl standing alone in a corner of the facility.
"I can't imagine being seven years old and being put in a situation like that," said Tuberville.
President Joe Biden says border security is strict and only unaccompanied minors are allowed into the country. Tuberville says what he saw was a disaster.
"We're being overrun. We're spending millions of dollars," said Tuberville. "Just the one area we were in, they spend $750 thousand a week on food, food alone."
Border Patrol typically gives a "notice to appear" (NTA) to every person who crosses the border before they are released, but Tuberville says that is not happening.
Tuberville said, "Right now, they're putting people on a plane, sending them all over our country and they don't have a court date."
Tuberville recently announced legislation to help with problems at the border. He says he wants people who come to the U.S. illegally to appear in court before being released into the country.
"We proposed a bill that says when we put you on that plane or we put you on the bus or we turn you loose in the United States of America, you have a court date five, six, seven months from now that you've got to go in front of a judge and explain why you should be in the United States of America," said Tuberville.
Tuberville says hundreds of miles of the border are not being patrolled. He says the U.S. needs to build a wall to cut back on future spending.
Tuberville on COVID vaccines
When asked about vaccine supply in Alabama, Tuberville stated Alabama is falling behind other states when it comes to COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
"Alabama's behind," said Tuberville. "We've been asking, talking to people about it and making sure we get as many vaccines as we possibly can."
Last week, President Biden signed the SAVE LIVES Act into law allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs to give COVID-19 vaccines to all veterans and their spouses. Because this act is dependent on supply, veterans in Alabama could still have to wait a while to get the shot.
"That will pick up obviously now that we've got three vaccines that are available, but we need to get more in the state, not just for veterans but for everybody," said Tuberville.
Tuberville says he believes Alabama is working hard to get vaccines to people in the state but says the rollout is the biggest problem.
"You can only give what you got," said Tuberville. "We've got to get more vaccines out. It's really nobody's fault other than the fact that we just, we've got to beg and beg and beg for more."
Tuberville says vaccines are the only way to put the pandemic behind us and is encouraging people to get the shot as soon as they can.
Tuberville on masking
Alabama's mask mandate is set to expire April 9. When asked about this, Tuberville said he agrees with Governor Kay Ivey's decision to no longer require masks but that he will continue to wear one.
"But you've got to remember one thing," said Tuberville. "This is a free country, and I don't really like that the government is telling us that we can't go to work, that we can't go to school, and we gotta wear a mask. I think we've got to be smart enough to understand what's good for ourselves, our families, and the people around us."
WATCH: Full interview with Sen. Tommy Tuberville