U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) joined Senator JD Vance (R-OH) and U.S. Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) in leading a bicameral letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding the department explain its reckless decision to radically expand immigration parole programs in the midst of a historic border crisis.
“While admitting the significance of the crisis at the border, the Biden Administration is again forgoing real solutions by encouraging more migration that will assuredly worsen the untenable border crisis. In the first year under your leadership, this administration created the worst border crisis in the history of the United States, and this historic crisis worsened in this administration’s second year,” wrote the members.
“This administration cannot continue its erosion of the southern border and its mass-parole of migrants into our country. A secure country demands secure borders,” concluded the members.
Cassidy, Vance, and Biggs are joined in signing the letter by U.S. Senators Mike Braun (R-IN), Ted Budd (R-NC), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), and Rick Scott (R-FL) and Representatives Brian Babin (R-TX-30), Jim Banks (R-IN-03), Dan Bishop (R-NC-08), Lauren Boebert (R-CO-03), Ken Buck (R-CO-04), Eric Burlison (R-MO-07), Michael Cloud (R-TX-27), Eli Crane (R-AZ-02), Warren Davidson (R-OH-08), Matt Gaetz (R-FL-01), Lance Gooden (R-TX-05), Paul Gosar (R-AZ-04), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA-14), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-01), Ronny Jackson (R-TX-13), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-08), Tom McClintock (R-CA-05), Ralph Norman (R-SC-05), Andy Ogles (R-TN-05), Matt Rosendale (R-MT-02), Tom Tiffany (R-WI-07), Beth Van Duyne (R-TX-24), and Randy Weber (R-TX-14).
Read the full letter here or below:
Dear Secretary Mayorkas,
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an expansion of its purported parole authority to include the monthly parole of more than 30,000 illegal migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti and Venezuela into the United States. You testified before the House Judiciary Committee that parole “is judged on an individualized case-by-case basis.” Therefore, in your own words, the new mass-parole of 30,000 migrants is unlawful. Additionally, DHS and the Department of Justice announced a forthcoming proposed rule that seeks to address the “unprecedented surge … [and] encounters at our border” by “incentiviz[ing] the use of new and existing lawful processes.” While admitting the significance of the crisis at the border, the Biden Administration is again forgoing real solutions by encouraging more migration that will assuredly worsen the untenable border crisis.
In the first year under your leadership, this administration created the worst border crisis in the history of the United States, and this historic crisis worsened in this administration’s second year. A 30,000 monthly increase in paroles under the policy announced today would mark a 33% increase over the concerning parole totals available in December. Under your leadership, this administration has continued to double-down on policies that act as pull factors for illegal immigration rather than addressing the historic border crisis. In the wake of its own failures to effectively address the border crisis, the Biden Administration has also prohibited states from implementing policies to deal with illegal immigration themselves and limited the tools available to Border Patrol agents.
This administration cannot continue its erosion of the southern border and its mass-parole of migrants into our country. A secure country demands secure borders.
Please provide these answers and other requested information no later than January 27, 2023.
- From what source does DHS derive its legal authority to parole more than 30,000 monthly migrants into the United States?
- From what source does DHS derive its legal authority to parole migrants before they reach the United States border?
- Will the migrants paroled pursuant to this policy be transported into the United States using federal funds?
- How does this policy “enhance border security”?
- Under what criteria were the countries Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua selected for this program?
