Dems Still Pushing For Amnesty As Border Crisis Continues

Democrats Tried Twice To Add An Amnesty For Illegal Immigrants In Their Reckless Taxing-And-Spending Spree, Only To Be Rebuffed Because It Would Violate Senate Rules

“The Senate parliamentarian rebuffed Democrats’ attempt to include immigration changes in a sprawling $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation measure, delivering a blow to efforts to create a pathway to citizenship for millions of immigrants for the first time in decades… ‘The policy changes of this proposal far outweigh the budgetary impact scored to it and it is not appropriate for inclusion in reconciliation,’ [according to] a copy of the decision obtained by CQ Roll Call. The consequences of putting millions of people on a path to citizenship would go far beyond the narrow scope of the nation’s budget, [the parliamentarian] said.” (“Senate Parliamentarian Rejects Democrats’ Immigration Bid,” Roll Call, 9/19/2021)

“A key Senate official dealt a second blow to immigration advocates who are hoping to secure a path to citizenship in the Democrats’ social spending bill, ruling Wednesday that a second proposal would not comply with Senate rules… The proposal was not the only alternative Democrats have been pursuing with the parliamentarian, according to a source familiar with the process. Democrats are continuing to pursue other measures, but they acknowledged that chances for providing a pathway to citizenship are dwindling quickly.” (“Senate Parliamentarian Rejects Democrats’ Plan B For Dreamers And Other Immigrants,” Los Angeles Times, 9/29/2021)

But Democrats Are Still Trying To Shove Amnesty Provisions Into Their Massive Taxing-And-Spending Bill

“Democratic leaders have discussed using the House bill’s immigration section as a placeholder while they seek provisions that meet Senate rules. House Democrats’ latest plan would include both the downsized registry plan and a ‘Plan C’ proposal under consideration in the Senate that would offer work authorization and deportation protections to some undocumented immigrants, the person familiar with the negotiations said. Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.) confirmed Tuesday morning that Democrats are considering including both options but said discussions are still in progress. Senate Democrats are poised to present the Plan C idea to the parliamentarian, who advises what provisions can be included under reconciliation rules, this week.” (“Dreamers, Farmworkers Set to Benefit in New Immigration Plan,” Bloomberg Government, 11/02/2021)

Sen. Manchin: ‘For Us To Even Be Talking About Immigration Without Border Security Is Ludicrous… If They Think They Can Come And Get All The Different Benefits That [American Citizens] Are Entitled To, They're Going To Continue To Come’

FOX NEWS’ BRET BAIER: “Do you support some kind of amnesty without border security in the reconciliation bill?”
SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): “No. For us to even be talking about immigration without border security is ludicrous. I have told them. I said, people, the average person turns on the TV and sees what's going on in the border, and that basically scares the bejesus out of an awful lot of people. If they think they can come and get all the different benefits that people, the citizens of America can get, are entitled to, they're going to continue to come.” (Fox News’ “Special Report w/ Bret Baier,” 11/03/2021)

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal Reported That The Biden Administration ‘Is In Talks To Offer’ Families That Were Separated After Being Caught Trying To Illegally Enter The Country ‘Around $450,000 A Person In Compensation’ And The White House Has Careened From Denying The Report To Suggesting It Might Be True

“The Biden administration is in talks to offer immigrant families that were separated during the Trump administration around $450,000 a person in compensation, according to people familiar with the matter... The U.S. Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services are considering payments that could amount to close to $1 million a family, though the final numbers could shift, the people familiar with the matter said. … The total potential payout could be $1 billion or more.” (“U.S. in Talks to Pay Hundreds of Millions to Families Separated at Border,” The Wall Street Journal, 10/28/2021)

When He Was Questioned About The Report On Wednesday, President Biden Called The Report ‘Garbage’ And Declared, ‘That’s Not Going To Happen’

“President Biden says his administration will not financially compensate families who were separated at the border with up to $450,000 in damages, rejecting reports about the hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments as ‘garbage.’ … After delivering comments on coronavirus vaccinations for children Wednesday, Biden was asked about reports on the payments and pressed by a Fox News reporter on whether such payments would encourage more people to cross the border illegally. ‘$450,000 per person? Is that what you’re saying?’ the president said. ‘That’s not going to happen.’” (“Biden Rejects Paying $450,000 To Migrant Families Separated At The Border During Trump Administration,” The Washington Post, 11/04/2021)

But On Thursday, The Deputy White House Press Secretary Reversed Course And Suggested ‘That The President Is “Perfectly Comfortable” With The Justice Department “Settling With The Individuals And Families Who Are Currently In Litigation With The U.S. Government.”’

“Deputy White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Thursday that the president is ‘perfectly comfortable’ with the Justice Department ‘settling with the individuals and families who are currently in litigation with the U.S. government.’ She deferred further comment to the Justice Department. However, after being pressed by a Fox News reporter, Jean-Pierre said the president’s comments on Wednesday were in reaction to ‘the dollar figure that you mentioned to him.’ ‘DOJ made clear to the plaintiffs that the reported figures are higher than anywhere that a settlement can land,’ Jean-Pierre said. … After asked to further elaborate on Biden’s Wednesday comment on the DOJ’s plans to negotiate these payments, Jean-Pierre said the president ‘believes in the department’s independence.’” (“Biden Rejects Paying $450,000 To Migrant Families Separated At The Border During Trump Administration,” The Washington Post, 11/04/2021)

Leader McConnell And Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) Wrote To Attorney General Merrick Garland Asking For Clarification On Whether The Justice Department Intends To Make These Payments

SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCH McCONNELL and SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE RANKING MEMBER SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY (R-IA): “Last week we read with great concern a report in the Wall Street Journal about the Justice Department trying to settle claims against the U.S. Government brought by illegal aliens whose families were separated under the prior administration’s zero-tolerance enforcement priorities. Perhaps more troubling than the settlements themselves are the reports that the Justice Department is looking to settle these claims for $450,000 per individual. This could result in payouts that are over a million dollars per family because they entered our country illegally during the course of these enforcement priorities. It should not surprise you to learn that we find these reports outrageous. Any settlements to illegal aliens because they violated the law are wrong. These kinds of settlements are offensive to the American people. Interestingly, President Biden may agree with us. When asked about these reports yesterday at a press conference he seemed to deny them. When asked specifically if the U.S. Government would pay out $450,000 each to illegal aliens separated from their families by the last administration he replied, ‘Not gonna happen.’” (Sens. McConnell and Grassley, Letter to Attorney General Garland, 11/04/2021)

• “What’s going on? Do you intend to stand with the ACLU and go forward with these massive settlement payments? Or have you complied with President Biden’s instruction and decided to seek settlement amounts for illegal aliens that the White House finds more politically palatable? On one hand, the President said that his administration will not go forward with these settlements and the ACLU says the Department of Justice immediately complied. On the other hand, you have been adamant that the Department, under your leadership, will not take political orders from the White House concerning litigation and enforcement decisions. Are these settlements under consideration or are they not? … This matter demands clarification.” (Sens. McConnell and Grassley, Letter to Attorney General Garland, 11/04/2021)

Over The Last Year, 1.7 Million Aliens From 160 Countries Were Encountered Trying To Illegally Enter The United States, ‘The Highest Number Of Illegal Crossings Recorded’

“A record 1.7 million migrants from around the world… were encountered trying to enter the United States illegally in the last 12 months, capping a year of chaos at the southern border, which has emerged as one of the most formidable challenges for the Biden administration. It was the highest number of illegal crossings recorded since at least 1960, when the government first began tracking such entries.” (“Illegal Border Crossings, Driven by Pandemic and Natural Disasters, Soar to Record High.” The New York Times, 10/22/2021)

• “Single adults represented the largest group of those detained in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, at 1.1 million, or 64 percent of all crossers. … But the nearly 147,000 children whom agents encountered without parents or guardians was the largest number since 2008, when the government started tallying unaccompanied minors.” (“Illegal Border Crossings, Driven by Pandemic and Natural Disasters, Soar to Record High.” The New York Times, 10/22/2021)

• “The crossers hailed from around the globe… Agents caught people from more than 160 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, with Mexico accounting for the largest share.” (“Illegal Border Crossings, Driven by Pandemic and Natural Disasters, Soar to Record High.” The New York Times, 10/22/2021)

‘Immigration Arrests In The Interior Of The United States Fell In Fiscal 2021 To The Lowest Level In More Than A Decade — Roughly Half The Annual Totals Recorded During The Trump Administration’

“Immigration arrests in the interior of the United States fell in fiscal 2021 to the lowest level in more than a decade — roughly half the annual totals recorded during the Trump administration, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data obtained by The Washington Post. ICE arrests in the interior plunged after President Biden took office and set new limits on immigration enforcement, including a 100-day “pause” on most deportations. A federal judge quickly blocked that order, and ICE’s arrests increased somewhat in recent months. But enforcement levels under Biden’s new priority system remain relatively low. Officers working for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) made about 72,000 administrative arrests during the fiscal year that ended in September, according to agency data, down from 104,000 during fiscal 2020 and an average of 148,000 annually from 2017 through 2019.” (“Immigration Arrests Fell To Lowest Level In More Than A Decade During Fiscal 2021, ICE Data Shows,” The Washington Post, 10/26/2021)