Speech #1140069792

They came in different stages in their lives. Some were admitted as children. others as adults. Yet they all turn their backs on this country after being welcomed here as refugees. This is not made up. It is a real problem. The American people want some action. They would like to see Congress and this Administration respond. especially. and they are rightly angered and upset with their elected representatives and their President for not taking sufficient action. I. along with my colleague Senator SHELBY and others in the House. asked for inclusion of specific language in this omnibus bill that would protect the interests of the American people. that would reassert the constitutional role of Congress in establishing a uniform system of immigration. that would require the identification of offsetting cuts in Federal spending to pay for the refugee admission program. But none of that was included in the omnibus bill. I doubt they ever spent a minute looking at a letter from two Senators. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest. I sent appropriators a list of several dozen provisions for inclusion in our funding bills to improve immigration enforcement and to block Presidential overreach and lawlessness. including among other things. provisions to defund sanctuary cities. Why should we be funding and providing Federal law enforcement money to cities that wont cooperate with the Federal Government in its most basic responsibility of respect and comity between these various Federal and State agencies. It goes on every day. But we are being blocked in sanctuary city after sanctuary city. Also. I asked the appropriators to prevent visas from being issued to nationals of countries that refuse to take back their criminals. This is important. My former colleague Senator Specter offered a bill for a number of things. It would bar admission for certain visas for nationals of countries that wont take back their people who have been in the United States. It is a fundamental principle of immigration law worldwide that if you admit a person from a foreign country. when their visa is up. they go home. Their visa is up if they commit a crime. and they are to be sent back home. they are to be deported. But country after country is refusing to take back their convicted criminals. I guess they figure: "Why dont you keep our criminals for us?" But that is not what the law is. and we are stuck with them in jails.