House Move on Border Crisis Encouraging
House Move on Border Crisis Encouraging
(Washington, D.C.) – Leaders in the House of Representatives are expected soon to release recommendations for addressing the problem of tens of thousands of children arriving from Central America at the U.S. southern border. Those recommendations are expected to include changes to the 2008 law that may be encouraging some to migrate here and funding for additional judges to speed consideration of the cases of individual minors. The package would also increase the ability of Border Patrol officers to operate in wilderness areas, but does not include any recommendation on the president's 2012 executive order, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
Daniel Garza, Executive Director of The LIBRE Initiative, released the following statement:
"It's encouraging that the House of Representatives has reviewed the president's recommendations and will soon consider an appropriate response. A number of proposals have been put forward – including several bipartisan initiatives. With only two weeks before the August recess, the House and Senate should promptly consider all these as they work across the aisle on a solution. While the White House has allowed this crisis to build for months, and has arguably worsened the situation by taking arbitrary and unilateral executive action in the past, there's an opportunity here for a bipartisan response."
Policymakers must remember the importance of respecting the dignity and humanity of the individuals arriving at our border. They're acting on bad information, and have put their lives at risk. We should seek to treat these children with compassion and kindness. Their requests should be heard according to the law – on a case by case basis, as promptly as possible. And they should be safely reunited with their families right away."
For interviews with a LIBRE representative, please contact: Brian Faughnan, 571-257-3309 or Steven Cruz, 202-578-6173
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