Mr. Speaker. I would also like to respond and indicate some issues of concern that I have as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims of the House Committee on the Judiciary. I was disappointed that the amendment today of my good friend the gentleman from Texas was not able to be debated. The gentleman from Texas offered an amendment to ensure that criminal aliens that were already incarcerated would not be released until deportation. I wanted the gentleman from Texas to have the opportunity to discuss and debate a very important issue. The issue was raised because of the $80 million that was included in the emergency supplemental appropriations bill that was to provide increased border enforcement and funds for 2.945 additional beds for the detention of criminal aliens from certain parts of Central and South America. I am concerned that when money is given to an agency and it is given to the agency still with the sense that the agency is not functioning. that we need to debate the issue and get clarification. I think it is important that we should acknowledge. as was acknowledged. that any presupposed or any memo that suggested that the INS was prepared to release criminal aliens is obviously incorrect or has been withdrawn.
Keywords matched
border enforcement deportation Immigration