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Washington, D.C. (May 10, 2024) – The Center for Immigration Studies presented testimony at a hearing entitled “Dream Deferred: The Urgent Need to Protect Immigrant Youth,” held before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Jessica Vaughan, the Center’s director of policy studies, raised concerns about Senate consideration of an amnesty when the borders are not controlled, and interior immigration enforcement has been drastically scaled back.
Vaughan engaged in several exchanges with senators, such as Senator Durbin, who asked whether America would benefit from deporting the DACA recipient/law enforcement officer testifying alongside her. Senator Durbin omitted that the DACA recipient has protection from deportation, so there is no realistic chance that this would occur.
Senator Blackburn asked Vaughan her opinion on the Biden administration’s use of parole, highlighting 800,000 and 1.2 million illegal migrants were paroled into the country in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Vaughan responded that it makes a mockery of this congressionally granted discretion for inadmissible aliens, which is intended for significant public benefit or urgent humanitarian need. She said, “We know from talking to the migrants themselves that they know that if they can just get here, they will be allowed to stay indefinitely with no fear of enforcement and potentially have access to benefits that long-term legal immigrants have been granted.”
Addressing whether taxpayer-funded benefits like healthcare under Obamacare could incentivize illegal entry, Vaughan stated that extending such benefits undermines U.S. immigration enforcement credibility; it encourages people to violate immigration laws in anticipation of eventually being granted benefit eligibility.
Testimony Highlights:
Border Crisis: Nearly 180,000 individuals entered unlawfully last month alone. Under the Biden administration’s policies, a vast majority of these individuals are being released into the country, fueling concerns about national security and public safety.
Nationwide Impact: The consequences of these policies have been felt across the country, manifesting in a myriad of crises. In Massachusetts, lawmakers grapple with a $915 million financial burden to support emergency shelter systems due to the surge of illegal migrants. Meanwhile tribal communities in Montana face the onslaught of drug and human trafficking operations exacerbated by porous borders.
Humanitarian Concerns: Disturbing incidents of child labor trafficking and abuse have emerged involving thousands of unaccompanied minors. The dismantling of interior enforcement has further compounded the challenges, allowing criminal elements to evade deportation and perpetrate heinous crimes, like aggravated rape and child abduction, with impunity.
Call to Action: Vaughan said that immigration laws exist to address these challenges, however their enforcement remains lax, perpetuating the crisis. She proposed urgent measures, including the invocation of Section 212(f) and collaboration with state and local authorities, as viable solutions to stem the tide of illegal immigration. She urged Congress to prioritize the enactment of legislation such as the Secure the Border Act of 2023 and to refrain from enacting amnesty measures which would serve as a magnet for more illegal immigration.
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