24 MARCH 2021
Immigration Hub Statement on GOP Unanimous Consent Requests for Anti-Immigrant Bills
WASHINGTON— Today, Senate Republicans are attempting to pass several anti-immigrant bills through unanimous consent requests. In response, Kerri Talbot, Deputy Director of the Immigration Hub, issued the following statement:
“Once again, Republicans are failing to offer real immigration solutions, serving red meat to their base and proposing bills that will harm migrant children, separate families and scapegoat immigrant communities. Enough is enough. The American public wants real solutions to rebuild our immigration system so that it is orderly, humane and keeps families together. As Republicans continue their media tour to blame Biden for the state of our immigration system, they’re refusing to come to the table to work with Democrats. Rather than villainizing immigrants and demagoguing, Senate Republicans should instead support widely popular bills such as the Dream and Promise Act and Farm Workforce Modernization Act that were just passed last week in the House, as well as President Biden’s proposal, the US Citizenship Act. We thank Senators Schumer, Durbin, Menendez, Padilla and Lujan, as well as all of the Democratic leadership for standing strong against these harmful proposals.”
The bills being proposed through unanimous consent include:
Resolution on the Southern Border as a “Crisis”- Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-IA) This unhelpful resolution offers no solution but merely refers to the situation at the border as a “crisis.” The current uptick in arrivals at the border didn’t start with Biden; it started in April of 2020 under Trump. Under Trump we saw the highest number of border arrivals since 1940. In addition to separating families, Trump cut aid to Central America, ended the program that let kids apply near their homes rather than taking a dangerous journey to the border, and dismantled the asylum and processing systems that were in place. This is the mess inherited by the Biden administration. The Biden administration is working 24-7 with an all-of-government approach to put in place a safe, orderly and humane system. While the borders are mostly closed, and most new arrivals are being apprehended and removed, the main group of people coming into America are kids travelling alone as unaccompanied minors. They have fled violence and danger in Central America, and have either a parent or close family in America ready to welcome them into their homes. With FEMA’s help, the administration is quickling getting on top of the facilities and processing challenges to make sure kids are treated in accord with the best interests of the child.
Stop Border Surges Act - Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT)
This bill would codify the worst immigration policies of the Trump administration, leading to the indefinite detention of children and families, return thousands of children to traffickers and abusers, and harmful information sharing between the Office of Refugee Resettlement and the Department of Homeland Security that would just worsen the situation at the border.
End Child Trafficking Now Act - Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
This bill requires a DNA test to determine the familial relationship between an undocumented immigrant and an accompanying minor. Service providers are clear that this bill does not address child trafficking and the widespread collection of DNA raises serious privacy concerns. The bill would also adversely affect normal travel and tourism without reducing trafficking.
S. 80, Sarah’s Law - Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA)
This bill requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to mandatorily detain an individual who is unlawfully present in the United States and has been charged with certain crimes. Punishing those charged with a crime rather than convicted is fundamentally at odds with the American justice system’s principle of being innocent until proven guilty, and as worded would permit the detention of lawful permanent residents without any due process.
Stop Illegal Reentry Act - Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)
This bill would create mandatory minimums and increase criminal penalties for illegal reentry. This bill would increase the federal prison population, at huge cost to taxpayers. Illegal reentry is a non-violent offense – it essentially criminalizes the act of migration.
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The Immigration Hub is a national organization dedicated to advancing fair and just immigration policies through strategic leadership, innovative communications strategies, legislative advocacy and collaborative partnerships.