WASHINGTON—Lora Ries, director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation and former acting deputy chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, released the following statement today in response to plans announced by President Joe Biden to circumvent federal law and offer legal status to illegal aliens:
“A few weeks after he rolled out a meaningless executive order that had zero impact on our overwhelmed borders, Biden is back doing what he does best: anything and everything to facilitate more illegal immigration. Biden is again bypassing Congress and ignoring clear law to abuse his parole authority and wave hundreds of thousands illegal aliens into permanent residence in the United States.
“Despite being intended for use in extraordinary circumstances only, Biden and Mayorkas have warped the parole statute beyond recognition. This latest decree from the White House will encourage more illegal immigration and marriage fraud while adding to USCIS’s more than nine million-case backlog and workload, making the wait for legal green card applicants even longer.”
After three years of Biden’s border policies, immigration is now a top concern for the American people. According to polling, a staggering 70% of Americans disapprove of Biden’s handling of the border.
The Heritage Foundation and Heritage Action have long pointed to H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, as the only lasting solution to the dangerous situation caused by the Biden administration's immigration policies. H.R. 2 passed the U.S. House of Representatives more than one year ago, but U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has refused to allow the chamber to consider the bill.
BACKGROUND:
- The Heritage Foundation: To Stop Administrative Abuse, Congress Must Narrow Scope of Immigration Parole
- The Heritage Foundation: The Biden Border Crisis
- The Heritage Foundation: Our Border Crisis
