Speech #1140002400

It prevents improving the provisional waiver of the 3year and 10year unlawful presence bars created by Congress in 1996 to prevent U.S. citizens from experiencing "extreme hardship." Ironically. the changes the administration intends would actually make the waiver align more closely to what Congress enacted. It would stop actions to help capitalize on the innovation of jobcreating entrepreneurs and increase job opportunities. It would block initiatives designed to promote the integration of immigrants and to promote citizenship. The only action not blocked is a pay raise for ICE agents. The second amendment would block further implementation of the 2012 DACA memo and any additional efforts to save DREAM Act kids from deportation. In the past. there was confusion about what amendments did. But this one is very clear. It is a straight upordown vote on whether to deport hundreds of thousands of young people who came forward. passed background checks. received DACA. and followed the rule. It would deport the DREAMers. The third amendment looks reasonable at first. as it requires that those convicted of sex offenses and domestic violence be the highest priority for enforcement. But the point is. the Presidents actions already make those criminals a priority for deportation. and they are prohibited from getting any deportation relief. The amendment is not only unnecessary. but it also endangers victims of domestic violence. How? It overturns the DHS policy of inquiry into whether a person convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence was actually the victim. not the perpetrators of the crime. This amendment is opposed by the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence. the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. the American Immigration Lawyers Association. and law enforcement. I will now place into the RECORD a letter from 14 sheriffs and police chiefs asking that we oppose the DeSantis amendment. Re H.R. 240. The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act. 2015. DEAR REPRESENTATIVE: We. the undersigned law enforcement officers. write to express our opposition to various proposals under consideration in the House of Representatives that seek to override aspects of the Obama Administrations immigration policies. While acknowledging that there is goodfaith disagreement over certain aspects of the administrations immigration policies. several of the proposals under consideration by the House of Representatives would represent a step backward. lead to uncertainty in our immigration enforcement system. and make it harder for state and local law enforcement to police our communities. The 114th Congress has a tremendous opportunity to fix our broken immigration system. advancing reforms that will help the economy and secure our borders. While we are encouraged by proposals that would secure our borders and reform outdated visa programs. we are concerned by reports of various proposals in the House that do not appear to have bipartisan support and could unnecessarily threaten a partial governmental shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). As law enforcement officers. we regularly work with DHS and its component agencies and fear that an unfunded DHS will sow confusion and uncertainty. We are also concerned about proposed substantive changes that would undercut existing protections for victims of domestic violence. undermine law enforcements ability to focus on catching and deporting dangerous criminals. compel state and local law enforcement to hold lowlevel offenders without probable cause. and threaten longestablished and necessary federal programs and funding that have long aided state and local law enforcement. We oppose proposals that (1) make lawabiding immigrants feel less safe in our communities. (2) focus federal law enforcement away from catching serious criminals and security threats. (3) increase the state and local role in immigration enforcement. and (4) threaten needed federal resources and funding used by state and local law enforcement.