WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, today introduced the Protect Children and Families Through the Rule of Law Act, which includes measures that would stop President Obama’s amnesty, reform the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Act, and empower governors to utilize the National Guard to address this specific crisis at federal expense, including authority to arrest violators of federal immigration, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and terrorism laws.
“The current situation in the Rio Grande Valley is a humanitarian crisis of this Administration’s making. President Obama set the stage for this crisis by refusing to live up to his most basic responsibility to secure our border, imposing huge human and financial costs on border communities and on immigrants who come here illegally,” Sen. Cruz said. “He has also sent a message to the world that the United States is not serious about enforcing its immigration laws by lawlessly granting amnesty through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program. To solve this problem, we must put a stop to President Obama’s amnesty and give governors all options possible to mitigate this crisis in light of the federal government’s inaction.”
Sen. Cruz’s bill would specifically:
- Prevent the expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) by preventing any taxpayer funds from being used to consider or adjudicate any new or previously denied application under DACA or a similar successor program.
- The facts demonstrate that DACA is a significant motivating factor for the number of Central American children being handed over to violent criminals and taking the dangerous journey to enter the United States illegally.
- Yet, President Obama has announced his intention to expand DACA and grant amnesty to even more immigrants who entered the country illegally. In recent months, he has asked DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson and Attorney General Eric Holder to provide him with justifications for more executive actions, and he has promised pro-illegal immigration groups that he will expand DACA to cover 5 to 6 million more immigrants who entered the country illegally.
- Reform the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act so that unaccompanied minors can be expeditiously united with their families back home.
- Under current law, unaccompanied minors are being released to purported relatives with just a promise to appear later for deportation proceedings. Often they do not appear and, if they do, the removal proceedings can delay reunion to their family back home by years.
- This bill would protect the safety of these children and ensure their attendance at a new, expedited hearing within seven days of the child’s processing. This expedited process is designed to protect against human trafficking, preserve due process for those who have a legitimate claim to asylum or other relief, and facilitate expeditious return of those children who are ineligible to stay to their families in the country of origin.
- Take steps to ensure that State and local officials have the resources necessary to protect the people in their communities, enabling them to act on their own to secure the border.
- This bill would empower governors to utilize the National Guard at federal expense to address the current deluge of unaccompanied minors until the number of such arrivals return to pre-crisis levels.
- It would also provide the National Guard with authority to arrest violators of federal immigration, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and terrorism laws.
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It doesn’t matter what legislation is presented it will stall out on that senile fool Harry nut less reeds desk unless it is something that will guarantee more votes for the spend o crat party .
Sen. Cruz legislation is better than anything the Democrats have suggested. At least Senator Ted Cruz is trying do something to protect our country. I support his effort.
Is this the best we can do?? Where is the leadership in the Republican Party and who is the voice?
The comment by BCN demonstrates how obstructionist and deconstructionist the ignorant Democrats really are.
To be a close minded left wing communist thug is one thing but trying to destroy your own country goes beyond the pale.
Knock of the BS and try to be patriotic for a change!
Watchdog
I was just stating my opinion, but since you decided to engage in mindless comments directed at me, let’s have at boyo.
Don’t give me that bullshit about being “patriotic”, asshole.
I did my patriotic bit in 70-71 in a shithole called Vietnam and I have the physical scars and very bad memories to last me a lifetime.
Wow. Eloquent and profoundly stated. Your presence here raises the quality of the conversation and I thank you.
Well wimpy, so did I! Purple Heart and all. Get over it, I did.
Still doesn’t give you the right to shit on your country. Any left wing idiot that promotes the anti-American destructive ideals that you do needs to re-think your bass-akwards priorities.
@BCN-You are just pissed because everyone is starting to figure you out. Just another loud mouth liberal. Just because you got drafted and spent time in Nam smoking pot does not make you a hero.
(con’t)
It’s narrow-minded asswipes like you that really piss me off.
Without even knowing what the hell you are talking about, verbal garbage spews from your mouth like fecal matter out of your ass.
As far as I am concerned, you’re a waste of skin and a pathetic excuse for an American.
Even the most imaginative writer in the world could not invent character like Ted Cruz.
His lack of humanity is mind-numbing.
His ambition knows no moral boundaries and he’s willing to step over the bodies of the innocent to achieve his goals.
Ironically, more U.S. funds have gone to help Cuban refugees than any other group… he is the LAST one who should be telling people what to do about refugee children.
Cruz is a schmuck.
Gee look. A plan by a Republican that would work and doesn’t cost a billion dollars. Of course Harry Reid will not let it come up for a vote no matter how good it is.