What Congress Must Do to Prevent the Worsening of the Border Crisis
The Biden administration has overseen the wholesale dismantling of the nation’s immigration system and created a border crisis of historic proportions. How bad have things gotten? U.S. intelligence officials have told Axios they are preparing “for a massive influx of more than 170,000 migrants at the Mexico border if COVID-era policies that allow instant expulsions during the public health emergency are ended.” That is exactly what the administration is planning to do.
It is critically important that Congress fulfills its obligation to protect the American people and enforce the very immigration laws it has passed. With decades of on-the-ground experience and knowledge, two border security veterans each suggest three critical actions Congress must take.
Mark Morgan, former Acting Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
Fully Fund Border Security – Congress must ensure funding to provide Border Patrol with the strategic elements they need, including personnel, border technology and construction of a physical border wall.
Change Asylum Policy – Congress must ensure the Biden administration is implementing existing asylum laws to prevent their abuse.
Impeach Mayorkas – Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has abandoned his obligations to protect the nation by staffing his department with mass immigration activists, has pushed policies of non-enforcement of immigration law, and refused to listen to officials and constituents of border communities seeking help to stop the crisis at the border. In short, he is unfit to serve and should be impeached.
Tom Homan, former Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
Close Legal Loopholes – Amend the Trafficking Victims Protections Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) to permit officials to deport unaccompanied alien minors to Central America, as is currently the case with migrant children from Canada and Mexico.
Strengthen the Asylum Rules – Require illegal aliens to apply for asylum in the first “safe” country they enter, fully implement Remain in Mexico, fund more immigration judges to quickly resolve asylum cases.
Change the Flores Settlement Agreement – The Flores agreement was initially designed to ensure humane treatment of unaccompanied minors, but a misinterpretation of the law has forced the government to either detain a parent and an adult but separate them from the child; or release the entire family.