Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), a member of the House Oversight Committee, accused Democrats of exploiting the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic to push for “extreme changes to immigration policy.”
“The concept should be simple: We should not turn our backs on the citizens and legal immigrants of this great country in favor of those who have broken the law and come here illegally or overstayed their visas,” the Ohio congressman said in a conference call with acting ICE director Matthew Albence and acting Customs and Border Protection (CBP) commissioner Mark Morgan.
Democrats have called ordered ICE and CBP to release illegal immigrants from custody, putting the interests of criminals above the protection and safety of the American people.
“Despite calls to simply release potentially dangerous illegal immigrants back into our communities, you continue to uphold the rule of law while also using special powers to ensure the health and safety of those in custody,” Rep. Jordan told Albence and Morgan. “These are unprecedented times, and I truly appreciate the incredible effort we’ve seen from the Director, the Commissioner, and the rest of the Administration to help keep the American people safe and combat this virus.”
“While Americans are forced to stay home and out of work, Democrats want to release detained illegal immigrants, most of whom have criminal records, and provide them with stimulus checks,” said House Subcommittee on Government Operations Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA). “It is unthinkable that anyone would push to give those who have broken the law more freedom than law-abiding Americans.”
Oversight Committee Republicans Release statement detailing the work two immigration agencies have done in the face of the ongoing pandemic.
To keep apprehension numbers low, CBP is working tirelessly to repatriate undocumented immigrants to Mexico. Acting Commissioner Morgan said 80 percent of those apprehended along the southwest border are returned within “a few hours.” Borders matter when “we mitigate the impact of infectious diseases,” Morgan added, and we are “better positioned to confront the global pandemic.”
ICE detainee intakes are now coming primarily from other law enforcement agencies, due to reduced activity along the southwest border. The agency is using the CDC guidelines in its facilities to lend a hand combat the spread of the virus among detainees. ICE has released 693 people from custody due to medical risks related to complications from the coronavirus, according to Acting Director Albence. Albence said the agency considered factors such as flight risk, public safety risk and national security concerns before releasing each detainee. The agency is also working to repatriate Americans stranded abroad amid the global pandemic.
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