Illegal Border Crossings Today:

House Judiciary Committee Passes Major Immigration Bill

gavel, gang member, e-verify

FAIR Take | April 2023

Late Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee debated and passed the Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Act of 2023, an extensive security and enforcement-minded bill that aims to end the Biden border crisis.  The final vote of 23-15 fell essentially along party lines, with one Republican voting with Democrats against the bill. The bill now moves to the floor for consideration by the full House of Representatives.

The Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Act offers real policy solutions to secure the border and end catch-and-release.  Specifically, it will:

  • Reform our asylum process to deter frivolous claims and prohibit gang members, felons and drunk drivers from benefitting from our asylum system;
  • Prohibit the DHS Secretary from releasing illegal aliens apprehended at our border, strengthening our ability to detain, remove and return those aliens;
  • Prevent unaccompanied alien children surges at the border in a humanitarian way, ensuring they are processed expeditiously with family members and sent home;
  • Increase penalties for individuals who overstay their visas;
  • Significantly limit the Secretary’s authority to grant humanitarian parole so that broad, category-based parole programs cannot be established to circumvent Congress; and
  • Mandate the use of E-Verify for all employers in a responsible, phased-in way.

As the Biden Administration continues to slash funding for immigration enforcement and American taxpayers face more than $150 billion in net annual costs from illegal immigration, this bill represents a significant step towards addressing the border crisis.

What is particularly important about the Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Act is that it actually will end the status quo.  It doesn’t seek to give government agencies money to process and release illegal aliens faster. It reverses the radical policies that are causing the historic humanitarian crisis at the border, while protecting Americans from dangerous narcotics, cartel violence, and national security threats. Most importantly, it will stop President Biden and open-borders advocates from continuing to abuse our immigration system.

To learn more about this critical legislation, visit FAIR’s “activist tool kit” by clicking here.