Mr. Speaker. over the holidays. the Obama administration sent a very special Christmas greeting to immigrant families. They launched a series of home raids targeting Central American asylum seekers and immigrant families with children. As its New Years resolution. it is clear the Obama administration is embarking on a new enforcement initiative to deport Central Americans who entered the U.S. in 2014. Last weekend. 121 children and adults were taken into custody. and most were sent to private family detention centersa kind of privately run. forprofit family jail. They will probably be deported. just like the 2 million before them deported by President Obama. How they are treated and whether they get meaningful due process remains a question mark. What is undeniable is that such raids strike maximum fear in immigrant communities. The government is saying they could be coming to your house. and they could be coming at any time. Already. we are seeing signs of panic. We hear that children arent going to school and parents arent going to work out of fear. Not even a week into the new year. and 2016 has turned into one of fear and hiding. But let us be clear: Deporting families will not solve the violence and corruption that push people from El Salvador. Guatemala. and Honduras to risk assault. rape. and murder to seek refuge in the United States. Deporting families will not weaken the gangs who terrorize and extort their own people in Central America. Deporting families will not solve Americas immigration problem. Deporting families will not strengthen border security. Deporting families will not create legal channels that allow immigrants to come with visas instead of smugglers. Deporting families will not reduce the insatiable demand in the United States for the very drugs that fuel the gangs. the guns. the smuggling operations. and the ruthless violence in Central America. The raids by the Obama administration on families from Central America must stop. They are a cruel reminder of a discredited policy.
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Deporting border security visas immigration asylum seekers deported immigrant immigrants