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B Stands for Bipartisan Bill
Good afternoon,
In an effort to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis at the U.S. Mexico border, Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) introduced the Bipartisan Border Solutions Act (BBSA) last week. A companion bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Texas Congressmen Tony Gonzales (R) and Henry Cuellar (D). This legislation would institute several important changes in how the government responds to arriving migrants.
To start, the bill would create four regional processing centers in high-traffic areas to increase migrant processing capacity. Under the direction of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), staff from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would be employed in each center. In addition, social workers, medical providers and legal service providers would be able to provide care and services within the centers, and oversight organizations would have full access to ensure accountability.
During a defined "irregular migration surge event," processing and adjudication of new arrivals would be prioritized. This would prevent exacerbating the existing asylum backlog and discourage more migrants from coming to the border. The bill also calls for a series of 3-year pilot programs designed to speed up the asylum decision process, improve case management services and maintain standards of care. To ensure detained migrants understand the legal proceedings, the legal orientation program would be expanded and processing centers would be required to facilitate communication between migrants and outside counsel prior to credible
fear screenings. Finally, the bill would provide critical funding to hire more immigration judges, asylum officers and case management personnel.
The Bipartisan Border Solutions Act is not the only sign of progress at the southern border. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced on Tuesday that the agency is launching a new anti-smuggling effort in collaboration with other federal agencies. "Operation Sentinel" will target transnational criminal networks that are taking advantage of the surge of migrants at the southern border. These smugglers sadly exploit vulnerable migrants desperate to arrive in the United States. Since October, CBP has identified almost 5,000 migrants abandoned by smugglers along the southwest border. We hope "Operation Sentinel" can protect migrants, improve the safety of border communities and blunt the influence of smuggling organizations.
The ongoing humanitarian crisis at the border is of great concern to all Americans, regardless of political affiliation. The Bipartisan Border Solutions Act and Operation Sentinel are indicators that we’re heading in the right direction. The introduction of the BBSA coincided with a meeting of Senators from both parties, discussing incremental immigration changes. With this as a starting point, we hope that additional bipartisan legislation moves through Congress, as President Biden mentioned in last night’s address to a joint session of Congress. To address concerns at the southern border, and modernize our larger immigration system to meet 21st century needs, bipartisan legislative change is necessary.
Stay healthy and hopeful,
Adam
Adam Estle
Vice President of Field and Constituencies
National Immigration Forum
P.S. Instead of having our normal monthly Zoom conversation next week, we're excited to invite you to attend a conversation with President George W. Bush, Dr. Russell Moore, and Dr. Yuval Levin on May 6th at 12:30 PM ET. The event is sponsored by the George W. Bush Institute, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention and the National Immigration Forum. Registration closes soon, so sign-up to join this important conversation today!
NEWS CLIPS TO NOTE:
ASSOCIATED PRESS: Houston-area sheriff is named to lead immigration agency
ROLL CALL: Former GOP officials signal support for higher refugee cap
THE HILL: Biden calls for path to citizenship for dreamers, farmworkers
DALLAS MORNING NEWS: As illegal border crossings drop, the face of unauthorized immigration in the U.S. has changed
NPR: Biden Administration Limits Power Of ICE To Arrest Immigrants In Courthouses
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