We’re disappointed that President Joe Biden continues to ignore the increasing problems along the southern border between Mexico and the United States.

While that may seem like a distant problem to some, the influx of illegal immigrants, as well as the unabated flow of drugs like fentanyl, heroin and meth, continue to fuel this country’s — and West Virginia’s — drug issues.

On Thursday, William Ihlenfeld, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, announced federal indictments in regard to an alleged drug ring heavily involved in North Central and Northern West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio, with the drugs reportedly being trafficked to the region from Mexico.

Targeting the southern border for increased immigration violations and human and drug trafficking is a logical and needed step to increase national security while battling those deadly crimes.

And yet the president and his administration fail to heed the calls from those border states, as well as others like West Virginia, where we are seeing the end results of his inaction.

The president had a great opportunity to announce steps to address southern border security during his State of the Union address, but instead chose to remain silent, sending a clear message that it is not a priority.

And it will only get worse when COVID-related provisions that helped stem some of the tide of immigrants end once President Biden lets the COVID public health emergency expire on May 11.

One of those provisions is Title 42, which allows the federal government to turn away immigrants who have recently been in a country where a communicable disease was present. The Biden administration has said Title 42 will end when the coronavirus public health emergency expires.

West Virginia Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito have joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers who have offered a way forward that would improve border security — a bill that would ensure Title 42 remains in effect.

“It’s unacceptable that we are still experiencing record amounts of illegal crossings at our southern border, but I am encouraged that a bipartisan group of senators realize the path this administration is taking is dangerous and untenable,” Capito said.

“I have long been outspoken regarding President Biden’s crisis on our southern border, and how his administration’s policies have made the situation worse. Ending Title 42 only adds to those challenges in a way we simply are not prepared to handle. This bill provides direction, something that is desperately needed in light of the administration’s decision to end Title 42,” Capito said.

Manchin urged the Biden administration to heed the lawmakers’ warnings.

“The immigration crisis at our southern border threatens to overwhelm our broken immigration system. I am proud to join my bipartisan colleagues in introducing this important legislation to ensure Title 42 stays in place, even if the current public health emergency ends, until the administration develops a plan to handle the anticipated migrant surge once Title 42 is repealed. I will continue to work with my colleagues and the administration to pass comprehensive, bipartisan immigration legislation that addresses the crisis we are facing,” Manchin said.

The Biden administration needs to listen to the sage advice of these lawmakers, as well as the concerns of U.S. residents. Ignoring the border crisis will only lead to more problems. The time to address this issue is now.