Goodlatte: Ongoing Surge is a Disaster Caused by Administration’s Policies

Washington, D.C.  – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) issued the statement below on the swell of unaccompanied alien minors and family units crossing the southwest border. Recent statistics from the Border Patrol indicate a significant increase in the number of UAMs and family units illegally entering the United States during FY 2016.  During October and November, 10,588 unaccompanied alien minors were apprehended, representing an increase of 106% over the same two-month period in FY 2015, and 12,505 family units were apprehended, representing an increase of 173% over the same two-month period in FY 2015. Chairman Goodlatte: “The ongoing surge at our southwest border is a manmade disaster created by the President’s policies. In fact, a recent internal Border Patrol document obtained by the House Judiciary Committee shows that the Obama Administration’s lax immigration policies are the culprit for the ongoing surge at our borders. During recent interviews, the vast majority of the family units interviewed heard that if they came to the United States they would be able to stay.  And most of those interviewed stated that it was the U.S. government’s policies that influenced their decision to come to the United States in the first place. “Additionally, the border surge raises significant national security concerns. We know that Syrians are attempting to cross our southern border. Recently, Senator Grassley and I wrote to the Department of Homeland Security to get answers about this troubling issue. President Obama needs to take a look at what he has done to encourage the border surge and end the policies that have created disorder at our borders. He created this crisis and he has the tools to fix it. “However, since President Obama has not taken the steps needed to address the border surge, the House Judiciary Committee has approved several bills that address the root causes of this problem. These bills ensure that unaccompanied minors can be returned home safely and quickly and also closes loopholes in our laws that encourage illegal immigration, allow people to game the system, and exploit our asylum laws. The House must pass these bills so that we can protect our nation and restore the integrity of our immigration system.” Additional Information:

• The House Judiciary Committee obtained a document from a source that shows the Obama Administration’s lax immigration policies are fueling the crisis at our borders. From July 7, 2015 – September 30, 2015, Customs and Border Protection agents interviewed 345 family units apprehended at the border. Of those interviewed, nearly 70% said that they heard that if they came to the U.S. they would be released and/or receive some sort of immigration relief, such as asylum. Additionally, nearly 60% said it was the U.S. immigration policies that influenced their decision to come here.
• The House Judiciary Committee has approved several pieces of legislation that address the root causes of the border surge:
  • The “Protection of Children Act of 2015,” authored by Rep. John Carter (R-Texas), ensures unaccompanied alien minors who make the dangerous journey to the United States are safely returned home. For those who stay with a sponsor in the United States while awaiting their immigration hearing, the bill provides for greater transparency and safety of these minors to ensure they are not inadvertently delivered into the hands of criminals or abusers.
  • The “Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act of 2015,” authored by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), closes loopholes in current law that encourage illegal immigration, such as weak standards for asylum claims that enable the Obama Administration’s rubberstamping of fraudulent applications and policies, and effectively ends “catch and release.”
  • The “Michael Davis, Jr. and Danny Oliver in Honor of State and Local Law Enforcement Act,” authored by Immigration and Border Security Subcommittee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), ensures that the President of the United States can’t shut down immigration enforcement unilaterally by granting states and localities specific congressional authorization to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration law. Additionally, sanctuary cities will be prohibited from receiving law enforcement grants.  It also strengthens national security and protects American communities by improving visa security, facilitating the removal of dangerous criminal aliens, and barring terrorists from entering and remaining in the United States.