Congressionally mandated enforcement of immigration laws in the interior of the United States is critical to national security and public safety. Instead, the Biden Administration has directed the very agency in charge of enforcing our immigration laws to willfully violate them. This has triggered a historic border crisis while inflicting immeasurable harm on the American people, our communities and the very fabric of our nation.
Immigration law enforcement must be centered on ensuring removal of those who have no right to be in the United States. With over a million illegal aliens with final orders for removal, the Biden Administration is refusing to deport them, a blatant disregard for the rule of law. The Biden Administration has failed to discharge this basic sovereign responsibility.
Let us be clear: we cannot faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States if classes or categories of removable aliens are exempted from potential enforcement.
Below are our policy priorities to employ all lawful means to enforce the immigration laws of the United States, which were set by Congress:
Remove Immigration Law Violators
Every illegal alien should be subject to removal or criminal prosecution, as prescribed by law. And certainly, any alien who has been arrested and convicted of a crime should be removed from the country, rather than released into American communities.
Punish Repeat Offenders
The broad discretion given to judges in penalizing illegal re-entry means that in many cases, those who break our immigration laws go free. This is why mandatory minimum sentences are necessary to remove judicial discretion and send a clear message that the U.S. will seriously enforce our immigration laws.
End Catch-and-Release
Rather than detain illegal aliens as the law requires, the Biden Administration appears intent on releasing as many of them as possible into the country without any expectation that they will comply with our immigration laws. This leaves American communities vulnerable to dangerous, criminal aliens who are more than happy to violate our immigration laws and commit heinous crimes. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should detain any alien who is either caught crossing the border illegally by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or apprehended in the interior of the country.
Promote Cooperation with State and Local Law Enforcement
Although the federal government is responsible for administering our immigration system, state and local law enforcement play an important role in helping to ensure that immigration laws are effectively enforced, notably through the 287(g) program, which must be expanded and more utilized to the full extent of the law.
End Sanctuary Cities
Illegal and unconstitutional sanctuary city policies undermine the rule of law and prevent local, state and federal law enforcement agencies from working in conjunction with each other as they should to keep our communities safe.
More Enforcement Resources
Expand ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), through more agents, detention bedspace, GPS tracking, criminal investigations, and drug trafficking mitigation efforts.
Implement Mandatory E-Verify
The most effective way to minimize illegal immigration is to remove the incentives to enter and reside in the U.S. illegally. We must eliminate the jobs magnet by requiring all employers to use E-Verify and make it clear that those who hire illegal aliens will be held accountable for their violations through both civil and criminal penalties.