A group of legislators recently called for President Obama to end his unilateral policy to defer federal action in response to illegal immigrant children that cross the Mexico-Texas border.
Thirty-five members of Congress signed a letter that called for Obama to rollback the executive action known as “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)” and make it clear that those who recently immigrated illegally will not receive legal status.
“As our country faces an unprecedented surge in the arrival of unaccompanied alien children at our southwestern border, we call on (Obama) to immediately end the failed policies that encourage young individuals to put themselves in peril, leave their home countries and make a long and dangerous journey to enter our country illegally,” the legislators said.
The legislators said Congress will consider legislative proposals that would ensure the immigration system best serves “deserving applicants.”
“We urge (Obama) to cooperate with congressional leaders to provide accurate data on the recent surge and work for legislative reforms that ensure the safe repatriation of these minor children to family members in their home countries and provide the commitment necessary to secure our border,” the legislators said.
The letter was signed by Reps. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Lamar Smith (R-Texas), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Lynn Jenkins (R-Kan.), Tom Cole (R-Okla.), Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla.), Tim Griffin (R-Ark.) and Michael Burgess (R-Texas).
Graves said the crisis unfolding at the border resulted from the president implementing policies without legislative approval or oversight.
“The reason we are witnessing the surge of unaccompanied alien children along our southwestern border is because the president and his administration have refused to enforce existing immigration laws,” Graves said. “Time and again, this president has chosen to pursue his own policies that are in direct contradiction with U.S. law. I’m calling on the president to obey the rule of law, and to quickly resolve the current situation at our southern border.”