Bill to Deter Another Summer Central America Border Surge Passes Committee

The warm summer months are at hand. And with them, the Border Patrol predicts a repeat of last summer’s border surge that saw more than 68,000 Central American aliens cross into the United States. Although advertised as unaccompanied minors, many aliens were teenagers, and some were pregnant young women. Early on, the White House blustered about sending them home, but in the end, few returned.

New bill would prevent repeat of last summer’s Central American border surge.

Instead, with the federal government’s assistance most were reunited with their illegal alien families already living in the United States. President Obama subsequently approved a plan to allow the unlawful immigrants to apply for refugee status – eligible for work permits, Social Security numbers, permanent residency and full welfare benefits – which not only guarantees that they will never go back, but also incentivizes more to make the journey north.

Millions of outraged Americans watched last year’s parade of unlawful immigrants on the nightly news, and read the details in their local newspapers. The months-long surge provided a painful reminder of how little border enforcement the Department of Homeland Security provides. Watch ABC Dallas-Ft. Worth affiliate WFAA video reporting on the border crossers here.

Recently, however, the House Judiciary Committee passed the Protection of Children Act, HR 1149, which would eliminate a loophole which requires that aliens from Canada and Mexico must be immediately repatriated while unlawful immigrants from noncontiguous countries are placed into lengthy removal proceedings. They often are assigned court dates to which they don’t show up.

By affording them an immigration court hearing within 14 days, HR 1149 would protect trafficked minors and minors who have a verifiable credible fear of persecution. Read the bill’s other details here.

Rep. John Carter (R-Texas), who introduced HR 1149 and serves as the Chairman of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations subcommittee, said that his bill will deter drug dealers and sex traffickers, reduce the expense to border states’ taxpayers, and ensure foreign nationals a safe return to their home countries.