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FAIR Take | April2023

The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), along with the strongest-ever assembled coalition of immigration groups and leaders, has repeatedly called on the House Majority to fulfill the promise it made in its Commitment to America. and pass legislation that addresses the Biden Border Crisis. We expect action could occur as early as thisweek.

Since the 118th Congress began in January, FAIR has worked to help formulate a strategy to pass strong immigration legislation to combat the Biden Administrations reckless and open-border policies. In a recent letter to House leadership, FAIR and its partners reiterated that we expect changes to our laws to close loopholes that have been weaponized by the Biden Administration. Specifically, we want meaningful solutions to protect the border, strengthen our asylum laws and prevent fraudulent claims, end the abuse of parole authority, and require re-implementation of authorities like Title 42 and the Migrant ProtectionProtocols.

This week, as Congress returns from recess, FAIR is going to continue working with leaders to push legislation through the committee process. But, we cannot do it alone. We need you to urge Congress to keep its promise, secure the border, and end Bidens lawless policies. The time is now. Our nation simply cannot withstand the damage being done to our sovereignty, security, andwell-being.

Stay tuned for FAIR Action Alerts and ways you canhelp.

Read more:
This Week: FAIR Pushes Congress to Act - Federation for American Immigration Reform

News

By Victor Nava and MaryAnn Martinez

April 19, 2023 | 6:05pm

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas rose out of his seat Wednesday during a tense hearing on Capitol Hill and turned to face the family of a grandmother and 7-year-old girl killed last month in a Texas car crash involving an alleged human smuggler.

Theyre sitting right behind you, Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas) told Mayorkas as he presented the relatives of Maria Tambunga, 71, and her granddaughter, Emilia Tambunga, 7, during the House Homeland Security Committee hearing.

The Tambungas were killed March 13 when Rassian Natery Comer, 22, blew through a red light and smashed his truck into their car at an intersection near the Mexico border.

According to authorities, Comer was fleeing police and transporting 11 illegal immigrants in his truck two of whom also died in the wreck.

The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating Comer for human smuggling and other crimes.

They came here today because they want answers, Pfluger told Mayorkas of the Tambungas next of kin. They came here today because of the failures of you and your leadership. They came here because they want closure.

Pfluger then demanded that Mayorkas apologize to the family for his failure to secure the border, which the lawmaker argued led to the death of the Tambungas.

Mr. Mayorkas, will you turn around and offer them your condolences and an apology for the failure of your administration that led to the death of their loved ones? asked Pfluger. Theyre right there.

Mayorkas partially obliged, turning to face the grieving family and expressing his condolences, but he did not offer an apology.

Mr. Chairman, may I stand in turn? Mayorkas asked, before addressing the family without a microphone.

The DHS chief could be heard telling the group, My heart breaks for your loss. My heart breaks for the loss of all victims of criminal activity.

Mayorkas then agreed to meet with the family in Pflugers office on the condition that the Republican not politicize the meeting, adding that the lawmaker was politicizing tragedy.

Mr. Secretary, the only person politicizing anything here is you, Pfluger shot back. The security of this country is not a political matter.

Gin Jespersen, aunt to Emilia and daughter of Maria, told The Post on Wednesday that Mayorkas followed through with his promise to meet with the family, during which they showed him images of the horrific injuries the little girl suffered in the crash..

We showed him a video of little Emilias head blown away, Jespersen told The Post.

Jespersen added that Mayorkas was very apologetic and very sincere during their 15-20 minute meeting, but at one point he tried to talk a little bit of politics.

He said, my colleagues here and I said, No, no, no, no, no. I dont care if hes Democrat or Republican, were going to town on all of you, all because we cant bring them back, but we can create change. Im asking you to work with this group here to create change. Theres no reason why you cannot create change, Jespersen recalled.

After Mayorkas mentioned an immigration reform bill, Jespersen said she told him, I dont need an immigration reform bill. I need you to send 3,000 troops down there to secure the border and then talk about immigration reform.

Were all Mexican-American here, and you just ignore us, she recalled telling the DHS chief. Its like were not down there [on the border] and its not happening, and it is. I would ask you to come down and be with the families.

We were pretty hard on him, Jespersen said. We wanted to be heard, not necessarily wanted to hear his rhetoric.

She added that the family asked Mayorkas to talk to President Biden about Emilia and Maria.

Mayorkas has faced intense scrutiny from Republicans since taking office, and more so since the GOP took control of the House after the 2022 midterm elections.

Two resolutions to impeach the DHS secretary have been introduced in the House, which accuse the Biden official of high crimes and misdemeanors related to his handling of the crisis at the southern border.

Mayorkas admitted to Senate lawmakers Tuesday that there is likely to be a surge of migrants at the border next month when the pandemic-era Title 42 swift deportation policy ends, and he offered little to assuage Republican fears that his agency is prepared for the influx.

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Mayorkas made to face kin of Texas grandma, child killed by 'smuggler' - New York Post

WASHINGTON, April 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The House Republican majority today made good on their campaign pledge to address the wholesale abuse of our political asylum laws that has led the raging migration crisis. The comprehensive Border Security and Enforcement Act is slated for a mark up by the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. Additional legislation is expected to be introduced by the House Homeland Security Committee later this week.

"In little more than two years since President Biden took office, some 6 million people have entered the United States illegally, many of them making frivolous claims for asylum. The result has been an unprecedented crisis at our southern border, crushing burdens on states and localities where the migrants are settling, and boon to Mexican criminal cartels that control human smuggling and trafficking, and the influx of lethal narcotics into the United States. This bill would reassert control of our borders," said Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).

Among the key provisions of the bill:

"FAIR has worked closely with members of Congress on many key provisions of the Border Security and Enforcement Act and urges the committee to approve the measure and send it to the full House for a final vote as quickly as possible. The crisis that is being felt in almost every state and community across the country will only get worse as the administration ends Title 42 next month and immediate passage of this legislation is essential," concluded Stein.

Contact: Ron Kovach, 202-328-7004 or [emailprotected].

ABOUT FAIR

Founded in 1979, FAIR is the country's largest immigration reform group. With over 3 million members and supporters nationwide, FAIR fights for immigration policies that serve national interests, not special interests. FAIR believes that immigration reform must enhance national security, improve the economy, protect jobs, preserve our environment, and establish a rule of law that is recognized and enforced.

SOURCE Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)

View original post here:
FAIR Calls for Swift Passage of House Immigration Bill that Would ... - PR Newswire

The Issue

Congress gave the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to parole into the United States temporarilyonly on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit any alien applying for admission to the U.S. Despite Congress twice amending this authority to express the intended narrowness of immigration parole, Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has kept, created, and re-created several types of mass-parole programs in violation of this law. Congress should further amend section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to explicitly match its intended narrow scope: for life-threatening medical emergencies or for urgent assistance in a law enforcement matter when there is insufficient time to obtain a visa. Parole is not to be used to circumvent normal visa processes and timelines.

The executive branch has used parole on many occasions to allow large populations of aliens to enter the U.S. ever since the benefit was created in the 1952 INA. Congress amended the statute in the Refugee Act of 1980 to state that the Attorney General could not parole a refugee into the U.S. unless compelling reasons in the public interest with respect to that particular alien require that the alien be paroledrather than be admitted as a refugee.

After Congresss amendment, multiple presidential Administrations still abused parole to bring large numbers of aliens into the U.S. for lengthy or even indefinite periods of time. Congress again amended the parole statute in the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act to add the current only on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit language. Administrations have not only ignored Congresss second clarification, but the Biden Administration has even brazenly created new mass-parole programs in defiance of the courts.

The Biden Administration has kept, created, and re-created numerous parole programs, most based on nationality, including:

Parole is the Biden Administrations go-to tool to bring large numbers of illegal aliens into the U.S. In addition, the Administration provides work authorization for these populations as a default. While the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) parole guidance states that the benefit is for two years, the Administrations practice is to extend temporary benefits and automatically renew work authorization. With the Administrations extremely low deportation numbers there is no expectation of an end to this benefit for an illegal alien. This is a clear violation of the temporarily requirement of the parole statute.

This mass-parole practice also violates the case-by-case basis. The Administration repeats the language that it grants parole on a case-by-case basis, but with these numbers, that claim is simply not credible. Nor can the Administration justify that each alien should be paroled for an urgent humanitarian reason or significant public benefit. The vast majority of the aliens paroled into the U.S. by the Biden Administration are not seeking urgent medical treatment or participating in time-sensitive activities, such as criminal trials. As such, they have the time to seek a visa or to apply for protection using the existing U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

In December 2021, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals rebuked the DHS for its abuse of parole in Texas v. Biden, stating: Deciding to parole aliens en masse is the opposite of case-by-case decisionmaking. The court further stated that the DHSs pretended power to parole aliens while ignoring the limitations Congress imposed on the parole power[is] not nonenforcement; its misenforcement, suspension of the INA, or both.

In March 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida likewise found in Florida v. U.S. that the Biden Administrations frequent use of a particular parole tool violates the law because it does not contemplate a return to custody once the purposes of parole have been served, it does not comply with the case-by-case requirement, and it does not limit parole to urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.

The Biden Administration is currently being sued by 21 states in Texas v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security for its most recent mass-parole program that allows 30,000 illegal aliens from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the U.S. each month.

Congress needs to take back its statutory authority from the executive branch and further narrow the scope of the parole statute to expressly match congressional intent. Congress should again amend section 212(d)(5) of the INA to explicitly state that parole must be used only in life-threatening medical emergencies or for urgent assistance in a law enforcement matter when there is no time to obtain a visa. Parole is not to be used to circumvent normal visa processes and timelines. To ensure rare use of parole, Congress should also consider an annual parole cap of 1,000 aliens.

Originally posted here:
To Stop Administrative Abuse, Congress Must Narrow Scope of ... - Heritage.org

Republican presidential hopefuls face an increasingly uphill battle to beat former President Donald Trump in the GOP primaries including far right Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Florida), who was once considered a leading candidate for the GOPs 2024 presidential nomination.

Though DeSantis has not yet formally declared himself a candidate, many believe that an upcoming campaign announcement is all but certain. DeSantiss extremist right-wing rule over the Sunshine State has made him a darling among far right conservatives and powerful segments of the American ruling class, who have been galvanized by his anti-LGBTQ policies, his attacks on education and lessons on Black history, and his push to restrict abortion access.

For a time, DeSantis was seen as the most likely person to mount a serious challenge to Trumps claim as party leader. Recently, however, DeSantiss popularity has fizzled out, especially among Republican lawmakers in Congress.

Numerous Florida Republican members of the House of Representatives have endorsed Trump over DeSantis in recent weeks. Notably, DeSantis was once part of Floridas congressional delegation, while Trump declared himself a Florida resident in 2020 after facing widespread opposition in his home state of New York.

So far, Trump has received seven endorsements from Floridas congressional delegation, while DeSantis has received just one.

Ron DeSantis isnt moderate. His anti-abortion policies are extreme.

No surprise that DeSantis wasnt going to get Matt Gaetz or Anna Paulina Luna. But to lose [GOP Reps.] Greg Steube, Brian Mast and Byron Donalds the type of FL Republicans youd expect to be on the DeSantis bandwagon is a leading indicator something not right with the RD outreach, Josh Kraushaar, a Fox News radio personality, said on Twitter.

After recent meetings with DeSantis and a group of Texas Republicans, Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas) also announced that he would be backing Trump.

After careful consideration and a positive meeting with Governor DeSantis, I have decided to endorse President @realDonaldTrump for 2024, Gooden wrote.

Trump has received nine endorsements from Republicans in the Senate, whereas DeSantis has received none. Forty-three House GOP members have endorsed Trump, while only three have endorsed DeSantis.

DeSantis is also losing support among Republican voters. Polling from just two months ago suggested that DeSantis was leading among a plurality of Republican voters in a hypothetical race against Trump and other possible GOP contenders. Now, however, he polls well below Trump, who has a commanding lead over all potential GOP candidates.

According to an aggregate of polling data from RealClearPolitics over the past few weeks, Trump has around 52.3 percent support among Republican voters. DeSantis, who came in second place in the average of polls, garnered only 23.6 percent support.

Trumps high polling numbers are likely bolstered by his recent indictment by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, which he seized as an opportunity to rally far right lawmakers and the Republican base. But DeSantiss numbers against Trump began to slip weeks ago, even before Trump prematurely predicted the date hed be formally charged.

Progressive activists and scholars have warned that both DeSantis and Trump are actively pushing the GOP further into fascism, and have encouraged President Joe Biden to enact progressives policies if he wants a potential 2024 campaign to be successful.

Polling shows that Trump and Biden, the respective presumptive nominees for the Republican and Democratic parties, are currently statistically tied. Biden won the 2020 election in large part by backing popular progressive proposals including the expansion of social programs to address poverty, an aggressive administrative handling of the climate crisis and a humane approach to immigration reform. Since taking office, however, Biden has largely failed to deliver, and in many cases taken an undeniably rightward turn.

I would say the base isnt overly enthusiastic about Joe Biden being the [2024] standard bearer, Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of the progressive group Our Revolution, recently told The Guardian, adding that its important for the president to keep folks energized early by pursuing progressive policies.

I think the Democrats only winnable strategy is to embrace and get behind the largest voting bloc for them, and that is young people. Thats people of color and working people, said Michele Weindling, the electoral director of the Sunrise Movement. Casting our needs aside to appeal to a smaller faction of centrist voters is pretty foolish before a huge election cycle like 2024.

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The rest is here:
Trump Remains Most Likely to Win GOP 2024 Endorsement, as ... - Truthout