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Monday, December 9, 2024 - 04:06 AM

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

First Published in 1994

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security released its FY2017 Entry/Exit Overstay Report which tallies up the number of illegal immigrants currently living in the United States. Nearly 702,000 people overstayed their allotted time and are currently in the United States illegally. This is an increase from the previous year where over 526,000 illegal immigrants overstayed. The group that had the highest rate of overstays were exchange students totaling 68,983 current illegal statuses. These numbers are outrageous! Not only do they show the need for border wall funding, but also extensive border security measures that include tracking of immigrants whose time in the U.S. has expired and additional resources for I.C.E. agents to prosecute them. Despite attempts by the Trump Administration and Congress, moderates and liberals have thwarted every effort to strengthen our borders. It has been a priority of the President’s, but he has been fought at every turn.
The illegal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is one of those issues that liberals are fighting to keep. President Trump tried to end the program in September of 2017, but a federal judge blocked his efforts. This week, a Washington, D.C. Circuit Court judge ordered DHS to start taking applications for DACA beginning August 23rd. This gives the Trump Administration time to appeal this decision. Attorney General Jeff Sessions spoke out against this ruling saying that the judge overstepped the authority of the judiciary. He also stated that the ruling “improperly undermines this Administration's ability to protect our nation, its borders, and its citizens. The Trump Administration and this Department of Justice will continue to aggressively defend the executive branch's lawful authority and duty to ensure a lawful system of immigration for our country.”
We may see a fight on border wall funding, border security, and DACA in September’s budget bill. With the DHS report, Republicans now have additional numbers to put behind their facts. President Trump has already threatened a government shutdown if the wall is not funded, putting pressure on the leadership of both the House and Senate to achieve this.
Eagle Forum has pushed for an end to DACA and advocated for stronger border security, including the funding of the border wall. We will continue to echo this as Congress acts on these measures.