North Columbus News

Senators JD Vance (R-OH) and John Thune (R-SD) have urged Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Attorney General Merrick Garland to halt the processing of new amnesty cases. This follows the Biden administration's recent move to grant de facto amnesty to hundreds of thousands of individuals whose asylum cases have been closed without a decision.

In their letter, the senators expressed concerns over reports indicating that more than 350,000 individuals have had their pending asylum cases terminated without approval or denial since 2022. They stated, "We believe that this amounts to a de facto policy of mass amnesty that not only flouts federal immigration law but may serve as yet another ‘pull factor’ that continues to energize illegal immigration across our borders and fuel the humanitarian and national security crisis that continues to unfold under your watch."

The senators emphasized the responsibilities of Mayorkas and Garland in enforcing immigration laws and maintaining the integrity of lawful immigration pathways. They wrote, "As secretary of homeland security and attorney general, you are responsible for enforcing the nation’s immigration laws and preserving the integrity of lawful immigration pathways, while playing an integral role in protecting America’s national security." They further noted, "By removing over 350,000 individuals from what should be a thorough asylum process that is seen to completion for each distinct case, you are sending a troubling signal to would-be migrants that the asylum program is so dysfunctional that the mere filing of an asylum claim, legitimate or not, may enable remaining in the country."

Read the senators’ letter here and below:

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