Speech #1130114277

I have visited the border and seen the children that this bill intends to help. This bill offers too little in funding to address the need that over 50 states are attempting to address by providing shelter and assistance to the tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors who are now living in our country. Over twothirds of the language in H.R. 5230 will make significant changes in existing law or creates new law regarding immigration policy without going through the committees of jurisdiction such as the House Committees on Homeland Security. Judiciary. and Foreign Affairs. H.R. 5230 contains too much language that is legislative such as: The bill makes significant changes to 2008 Trafficking Victims Protection Act. This change will subject all children to the initial screening process that now applies only to children from Mexico and Canada. erects a new expedited immigration court screening for any children who pass the initial screening. prohibits administrative appeals from children ordered removed through the new expedited process. requires detention of certain children who demonstrate a credible fear of persecution throughout the pendency of their asylum proceedings. establishes new. high burdens of proof. and sets up a principle of "Last In. First Out" in the adjudication process. The bill prohibits the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture from impeding. denying. or restricting the activities of U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Federal land located within 100 Miles of the U.S./Mexico borderThis issue has already been addressed. Both Interior and Agriculture have existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and all these agencies. as well as the GAO. have testified that these agreements are working and that federal land management laws and activities do not impair border security. The bill provides too few emergency immigration judgesthe bill only requires the Department of Justice to designate up to 40 temporary immigration judges within 14 days of enactment of this legislation. Then the bill permits hiring of retired judges or magistrate judges. or the reassignment of current immigration judges. to conduct expedited hearings for unaccompanied alien children to try to meet the new requirement that their cases be heard within 7 days of being screened by DHS officials. This is a rushed process for an emergency situation involving children. They require our best efforts to ensure their safety and wellbeing not a rushed job. The bill undermines a long standing policy regarding asylumH.R. 5230 Prohibits anyone believed to have been convicted outside the U.S. of any drugrelated offense punishable by a prison term of more than a year from being granted asylum. This provision has nothing to do with unaccompanied children entering the United States and clearly is an immigration reform that would impact several committees such as the House Committees on Judiciary and Foreign Affairs. This provision is problematic because what is considered unlawful in one country is a constitutionally protected right in the United States. Often people are fleeing religious. ethnic or political persecution.