Democrats of the House of Representatives are once-more seeking to pass amnesty for the millions of illegal aliens in the country, introducing a bill that would update a registry within the Department of Homeland Security that gives illegal aliens a permanent status if they have been in the United States before a specified date.
Under the current Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), that date is January 1 1972, last updated during the Reagan administration.
Democrats’ proposed “Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929,” sponsored by 46 members of the House, would update the registry by removing a specific date altogether and instead make eligibility “rolling” so that illegal aliens who have spent seven years in the country would qualify for legalization and be placed on a path to citizenship.
“For decades, immigrants who contribute significantly to our communities and our economy, have been relegated to a legal limbo,” said Representative Zoe Lofren (D-Calif.), one of the bill’s primary sponsors, said in a statement, per Fox News.
Lofgren continued: “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation to provide these immigrants with the stability and certainty they and their families deserve. Updating this historically bipartisan provision to provide lawful permanent resident status to immigrants who have been a part of our communities for years will make our immigration system fairer and our country stronger.”
Jesús “Chuy” García, one of the co-sponsors, said the legislation “provides an opportunity to give peace of mind and a legal path for approximately 8 million immigrants.”
Democrats made a similar attempt at amnesty last year, trying to slip it in a budget reconciliation bill. Under Senate rules, such a bill would need only 50 votes in that chamber to pass, making it possible for Democrats to overcome Republican opposition with a united caucus.
But their plan, which would have legalized illegal aliens who entered the country prior to 2010, was shot down when the parliamentarian rejected it and due to the opposition of Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
Republicans, even those open to working with Democrats on a more lenient immigration solution for migrants, have generally signaled that any amnesty must be accompanied by a resolution to the crisis at the southern border.
According to Fox News, border officials had over 209,000 encounters with illegal aliens in June and 79,652 of them were simply released into the country. In total, the number of encounters for the current fiscal year has been a jaw-dropping 1,746,119 — already far surpassing last year’s numbers.
Despite these figures, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has claimed the border is “secure” and has expressed his support for amnesty.
“I have said to a number of legislators who expressed to me that we need to address the challenge at the border before they pass legislation and I take issue with the math of holding the solution hostage until the problem is resolved,” Mayorkas said this month at the Aspen Security Forum, as quoted by Fox.
Despite Mayorkas’ assurances, the United Nations has called the U.S.-Mexico border the “deadliest land crossing in the world.” Thousands of migrants have died under Biden’s watch as foreign nationals are drawn across dangerous terrain (often guided by cartel coyotes) under expectations given them by the administration that they will essentially be allowed to stay in the country so long as they’re able to cross the border.
The White House has certainly gone out of its way to dispel the notion of consequences for breaking federal immigration law. As The New American reported, the TSA under Biden has let nearly 1,000 illegal aliens board U.S. flights using deportation orders and arrest warrants as ID.
But the administration could find its efforts to create de facto amnesty blocked. On Thursday, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to decline to freeze an order from a lower court that blocks the Department of Homeland Security from implementing less-restrictive immigration enforcement policies that would prioritize arrests primarily for illegal aliens deemed threats to public safety or national security, but allow others to remain in the country without fear of apprehension.
For those who want to preserve the sovereignty and security of the nation, holding the line against Democrats’ amnesty pushes must remain a top priority.
