FAIR Applauds Trump Administration on Closing Flores Loophole

(August 21, 2019, Washington, D.C.) —The following statement was issued by Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), in response to the announcement from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services on a final rule that will allow for the termination of the Flores Settlement Agreement:

“The new rule allowing families to be held together in detention facilities while their asylum cases are heard by the courts is a win for the integrity of the process, a win for those seeking safe haven in the United States, and a win for the American public. 

“This rule will ensure that those who are truly fleeing persecution at the hands of their government are offered quality and compassionate care in the U.S. – with families remaining intact – while their asylum cases are decided. 

“The decision also protects the American public, since many of those arriving illegally at our borders with children and seeking asylum are actually just exploiting the system, knowing that they will be released within 20 days. Most will simply disappear into the interior of the country. Given the volume of the current border surge, the cursory background checks on adults entering the country illegally are insufficient to adequately protect the American public from those who may be coming here with the intent of criminalizing innocent American communities.

“This game-changing regulation is yet another example of an administration doing all it can in the face of a do-nothing Congress and activist judges legislating from the bench. FAIR applauds the administration’s effort to restore integrity to our asylum process, to protect children from dangerous smugglers, and to close loopholes that tie the hands of our immigration agencies.”

Contact: Matthew Tragesser, 202-328-7004