This Issue: Coronavirus is a reminder that immigration is a public health issue, too

Fri, Feb 28^th

If there was ever a time for a nation to have full control over its borders, the time would be now. While China has been dealing with the coronavirus for a few months, the United States has been relatively unaffected ... until now.

Earlier this week, an official at the Center for Disease Control announced that it's not a question of whether the flu-like virus will spread in the United States, but rather a question of when. Just yesterday, California Governor Gavin Newsom said that the state was monitoring more than 8,000 people.

The current outbreak originated in China. The only way it could reach the United States was through international travel either through Americans abroad coming into contact with the virus or foreign travelers coming to the United States.

Unfortunately, our federal government lacks control over our immigration system and borders. Yes, the Trump Administration has done a decent job of reducing the number of illegal border crossings over the last 10 months, but 29,200 illegal border crossers were still apprehended in January. And those are the ones that we know about.

In addition, our government continues to give out more than 1 million green cards and hundreds of thousands of temporary visas each year. In FY2018, 81 million foreign citizens entered the country more than 186 million times. Needless to say, the current system is overwhelmed, but the men and women of Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are our nation's first line of defense against the disease.

We spend most of our time explaining how mass immigration adversely affects American workers, strains our natural resources, and diminishes quality of life for all Americans. We also discuss immigration's role in national security and public safety. But the coronavirus is a reminder that uncontrolled immigration can also be a public health issue.

Mixed week in the courts

The Trump Administration and the rule of law got a big win this week when the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Department of Justice could withhold certain law enforcement grants to jurisdictions that fail to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

However, the good news was short lived.

Earlier today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the administration's Migrant Protection Protocols policy, otherwise known as "Remain in Mexico." The policy requires asylum seekers to remain in Mexico until an immigration judge can consider their case.

Before the policy went into effect, asylum seekers who passed a credible fear test would be released into the United States, often with a work permit, and many failed to show up for their court dates. The Migrant Protection Protocols played a significant role in ending last year's border surge.

Chris Chmielenski
NumbersUSA Deputy Director

With reports that Pres. Trump is considering increases in lower-wage guest worker programs, let's take a look at where the most popular presidential candidates for 2020 stand on reducing wages for lower-wage jobs.

These are the ratings currently assigned by the Grading Team on NumbersUSA's "WORKER PROTECTION IMMIGRATION GRADE CARDS":

REDUCE VISAS FOR LOWER-WAGE JOBS?

Trump -- Mixed
Biden -- Mixed
Bloomberg -- STRONG NO

Buttigieg -- No Action
Klobuchar -- STRONG NO

Sanders -- Leans YES
Steyer -- No Action
Warren -- Leans NO

To review the specific statements and actions that earned those ratings, click on the candidate's photo on the Presidential Candidate Grade Card.

DHS Deploys Border Patrol Agents to Review Asylum Claims

Thu, Feb 27^th

Seventy-five Border Patrol agents have been pulled from the field to help adjudicate the credible fear claims of asylum seekers at the Southern border.

Trump Administration Announces New Unit to Oversee Issues of Immigration Fraud

Wed, Feb 26^th

The Trump Administration announced a new Justice Department unit focused on revoking U.S. citizenship obtained through fraud.

Supreme Court OKs Public Charge

Tue, Feb 25^th

The Supreme Court has sided with the Trump Administration, lifting the nationwide injunction placed on the administration's public charge rule by a lower court judge.

January border apprehensions down 11 percent from December

Mon, Feb 24^th

Border Patrol apprehensions at the Southern border dipped for the eighth straight month in January, led by a decrease in apprehensions of citizens from countries other than Mexico.

Federal Appeals Court Rules Against Sanctuary Cities

Wed, Feb 26^th

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court's decision today that will allow the Trump Administration to withhold certain funds from jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The ruling allows the Justice Department to withhold Byrne JAG federal grants from hundreds of local governments across the country if they continue to protect criminal illegal aliens.