This Issue: 22 Democrats intensify push for including amnesty for at least 5 million illegal aliens in infrastructure bill

Fri, Apr. 16^th

Nearly two dozen Congressional Democrats are turning up the pressure on Pres. Biden to include an amnesty for millions of illegal aliens as part of his massive infrastructure and jobs package.

The group of 22 legislators -- led by Reps. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) and Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) and Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) -- sent a letter to the President, urging him to include the Citizenship for Essential Workers Act that would offer immediate work permits and a path to citizenship for more than 5 million illegal aliens who hold jobs that the bill's authors consider to be "essential".

"Speaker Pelosi has already indicated her support for including immigration legislation in legislative packages advanced through budget reconciliation given the 'clear case about the budget implications of immigration'...

"The upcoming legislative package on jobs and infrastructure is the best opportunity to recognize and reward the sacrifices and labor of essential workers."

Democrats have floated the idea of using the budget reconciliation process to pass Pres. Biden's infrastructure and jobs package. Under the budget reconciliation process, legislation only needs 50 votes in the Senate for passage, whereas most bills require 60 votes.

Earlier this year, Pres. Biden and Democratic Congressional Leaders used the reconciliation process to pass the President's COVID relief and economic stimulus bill. While they're once again eyeing the budget reconciliation process to pass Pres. Biden's infrastructure package, the process has been used no more than once per year since it's creation in the mid-1970s.

WHO ARE "ESSENTIAL WORKERS"?

The term "essential workers" is subjective, so it's no surprise that pro-amnesty Democrats have a broad definition of this group of illegal workers. While many Americans would consider essential workers during a pandemic to be those working in healthcare, government, and/or food production, here's a sample of what the bill's authors consider to be "essential" jobs:

Landscaping
Construction
House cleaning
Laundromat and dry-cleaning operators

The legislation also adds to its list of "essential" jobs hundreds of occupations that have been identified as "critical infrastructure" jobs by the Department of Homeland Security.

UPCOMING HOUSE VOTES

Many of you received an action alert earlier this week on two upcoming House votes -- the No BAN Act (H.R. 1333) and the Access to Counsel Act (H.R. 1573). We expect both bills to come to the floor for a vote next week.

The No BAN Act would make it increasingly more difficult for the president to suspend immigration for certain classes of individuals where the suspension would serve in the national interest. This is the same authority used by Pres. Trump to suspend most immigration during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Access to Counsel Act would require that individuals referred for secondary inspection by a CBP officer at a port of entry are given access to counsel. This would slow down traffic at ports of entry, including for those with authorization to enter the U.S.

Both bills were approved along a party-line vote as amendments to an unrelated bill in the previous Congress.

Chris Chmielenski
NumbersUSA Deputy Director

OPPOSITION TO BIG AMNESTY GROWING: See the orange line of voter opposition soaring since December. (And the green line of support plummeting.) For nearly 70 weeks, Rasmussen Reports has polled on the question of "giving lifetime work permits to most of the estimated 12 million illegal residents of all ages who currently reside in the United States?"

At the beginning, opinions were fairly close, with opposition being the plurality. From April until November, voters were roughly evenly divided. Support for the amnesty has never been above 50%.

In the latest polling, the split of ALL LIKELY VOTERS is:

56% Oppose
38% Support

Young adults (who are in greatest job competition with illegal aliens) provide the strongest support for amnesty.

% Opposed vs. % Support

37%-53% Age 18-39
65%-28% Age 40-64
63%-34% Age 65+

63%-28% Independents
56%-36% Moderates

Census Bureau to Release 2020 Data on April 30: Cue Calls for 'More Immigration' Despite Millions Out of Work

ERIC RUARK

Fri, Apr. 9^th

The 2020 Census count will be released at the end of April. Inevitable will be the headlines that read along the lines: 'Experts Say Census Reveals Need for More Immigration.' Those 'experts' will be wrong, and a genuine debate in Congress about the level of immigration is long overdue.

Rep. Scalise Questions Public Health Officials About Covid-19 Double Standard at Southern Border

Thu, Apr. 5^th

Republican Whip and Ranking Member of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis Steve Scalise (R-La.) had the opportunity to demand answers from Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Rochelle Walensky - the Director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about the apparent double standard at the border as it pertains to the Coronavirus.

ICE Priority Arrests Drop 30%, Non-Priority Arrests Drop 80% from Last Year

Wed, Apr. 14^th

According to data obtained by the Washington Times, Immigration and Customs Enforcement made 75% fewer arrests during the first seven weeks of the Biden Administration than during the same seven-week period last year.

Arizona Attorney General sues DHS over environmental impact of border surge

Mon, Apr. 12^th

Attorney General Mark Brnovich of Arizona says the Biden administration violated the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) by failing to provide an environmental impact statement before rescinding the Remain In Mexico policy and halting construction on the border wall.

22 Democrats Sign Letter Pushing for Amnesty for 5 Million Illegal Aliens

Fri, Apr. 16^th

Nearly two dozen Congressional Democrats are turning up the pressure on Pres. Biden to include an amnesty for millions of illegal aliens as part of his massive infrastructure and jobs proposal.