Senator Jeff Sessions (R-OK), ranking member of the United States Senate Budget Committee, released a statement concerning the immigration reform, more easily referred to as “rewarding illegal aliens” by the Gang of Eight, in which he pointed out that such measures could cost taxpayers upwards of $40 billion in 2022 alone and the long-term unfunded liability for Obamacare would grow another $2 trillion. However, the problem is deeper than the projected costs, it’s an issue of backwards thinking of failing to enforce current immigration laws and instead providing an “answer” in legalizing illegal aliens.
The Gang of Eight is made up of Marco Rubio (R-FL), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), John McCain (R-AZ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Micael Bennet (D-CO), and Jeff Flake (R-AZ).
Senator Sessions writes, “According to what has been publicly reported about the Gang of Eight’s forthcoming immigration bill, there appears to be a major flaw that could allow millions of illegal immigrants to access federal welfare benefits and poverty programs. Specifically, there is nothing in the framework to apply federal public charge law to those in the country illegally before they are granted legal status. What this means is that the bill would create an end-run around federal law: individuals in the country illegally could receive legal status without having to demonstrate financial self-sufficiency.”
Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) states: “An alien who, in the opinion of the consular officer at the time of application for a visa, or in the opinion of the Attorney General at the time of application for admission or adjustment of status, is likely at any time to become a public charge is inadmissible.”
“It appears that—by virtue of entering the country illegally—individuals will be able to obtain a form of legal status without going through the screening process created for legal immigrants as required by statute,” commented Sessions.
He then went on to pull back the curtain of what the group of Socialist Democrats and RINOs are putting forward and its effects.
“Senators in the group,” Sessions continues, “have suggested that cost will not be an issue because amnestied illegal immigrants will not be eligible for certain public aid and welfare programs during a temporary period of probationary legal status (although even this is in growing doubt given the outcome of the relevant vote during the recent consideration of the Senate budget). But, crucially, once this status ends and they become eligible for green cards, those who illegally immigrated will have access to a wide array of public assistance programs. Green card holders are currently eligible for Medicaid, TANF, Supplemental Security Income, child care assistance, food stamps, and a variety of other welfare benefits and public aid programs. The Budget Committee Republican staff estimates that costs could be upwards of $40 billion in 2022 alone, just for Medicaid and Obamacare. The long-term unfunded liability for Obamacare would grow another $2 trillion. The net costs would be enormous and only increase once citizenship is granted (and would extend to our nation’s retirement programs as well). Additionally, during their probationary status, there are still a number of ways previously illegal immigrants could draw means-tested public aid for their households—which is the reason why federal law deems all immigrants likely to be a public charge inadmissible to the country regardless of whether they are applying for temporary, permanent, or any other form of legal status.”
“Finally, this flaw will not be rectified merely by relying on existing law when illegal immigrants apply for green cards,” Sessions concludes. “An investigation conducted by the Ranking Members of four Senate committees has revealed that the Obama Administration does not adhere to the statutory requirement that they determine whether applicants for admission to the country will be a public charge. Moreover, it is estimated that 1 in 3 immigrant-headed households currently participate in at least one major welfare program. To be effective, any immigration reform must therefore ensure that a reliable public charge standard is being applied for all immigrants, legal and illegal, and that any incentive to immigrate illegally in order to receive public benefits is removed. This is a fundamental protection for taxpayers and a core legal and economic principle of immigration common to virtually all nations.”
As if this weren’t enough, Caroline May reports, “During a Wednesday afternoon conference call, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents union head Chris Crane hammered the so-called Gang of Eight and the Obama administration for supposedly failing to focus on enforcing immigration laws.”
“The plan of the Gang of Eight appears to be legalization, or amnesty first, and then enforcement. That is a big problem for us,” Crane told reporters, noting that none of the immigration plans laid out so far has offered a framework for “stronger interior enforcement.”
Crane and the National ICE Council has been calling on both the White House and the Gang of Eight to hear their concerns over immigration. It would make since considering the more than 7,000 officers and staff that are on the front lines of the immigration issue. However, their requests have gone unanswered. I assume we can’t both Socialists and RINOs with the facts.
“If we don’t take care of the enforcement part of this first, it will never happen. The only thing that will happen will be that 11 million illegal aliens will be legalized, and 10 to 20 years from now the nation will again be facing the influx of another 10-20 million illegal aliens,” he said. “And all the problems and expenses associated with that we will be right back to where we are right now, with a failed immigration system.”
“Our officers cannot enforce the laws on the street, because of politics,” Crane added. “ICE officers are now almost exclusively restricted to making immigration arrests inside of jails and prisons. So someone else has to arrest the illegal alien, another agency or police officer has to arrest the illegal alien first for criminal charges before an ICE agent can even attempt to enforce U.S. immigration law or make an immigration arrest.”
Crane is simply pointing out what should be obvious and that is it is a lack of enforcing current immigration laws that has led to the problem. The Federal government has looked the other way until the cries of the citizenry demand action and then they grant amnesty. This is not just about Democrats though. Republicans have fallen prey to the same issue. In essence, Crane is saying that the White House and the Gang of Eight are wanting to legalize illegal aliens first, then enforce. My friends that is completely backwards. Sadly, as Sen. Sessions points out, the ones that will pay for the stupidity of these elected officials is the American taxpayer. No matter how much the Associated Press tries to be politically correct, these individuals will continue to be illegal aliens who are breaking the law and on top of that will not only be rewarded for it by many in Washington, but these same elected officials will seek to make us the illegals slaves. Have you had enough of these people yet?
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