House Democrats have yet again been hard at work crafting disingenuous legislation meant to “help” our immigration system. Both the Homeland Security Improvement Act (H.R. 2203) and the U.S. Border Patrol Medical Screening Standards Act (H.R. 3525) jeopardize the Trump administration’s agenda and the nation’s safety.
House Republicans have rightly nick-named H.R. 2203 the “Illegal Immigrant Customer Service Act.” This bill, which the House Majority has redrafted six times to gain moderate Democrat support, targets the treatment of individuals at the border through the creation of an independent Ombudsman for Border Immigration at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that will collect and review complaints made by illegal immigrants against law enforcement. This is a waste of American taxpayer dollars as DHS already has an Inspector General and an Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties to collect and investigate complaints against DHS officials. If this wasn’t enough, the Ombudsman will also have the power to critique federal law enforcement officer’s training and conduct. Agents will be forced to spend valuable time taking training on “LGBTQ sensitivity” instead of training for a real crisis. Lastly, H.R. 2203 undermines our current immigration laws through provisions like expanding the “catch and release” of migrants who have been apprehended for 72 hours and ending President Trump’s recently introduced final rule on asylum.
The U.S. Border Patrol Medical Screening Standards Act requires the implementation of an electronic health record system, within 90 days of enactment, at DHS for immigrants in the custody of the department’s personnel. This bill will create a significant regulatory burden on DHS and will not do anything to alleviate the border crisis. The Department of Veterans Affairs is in the process of implementing an electronic health record system which has a 10-year goal line. H.R. 3525’s 90-day implementation requirement is unrealistic.
Both pieces of legislation create greater government bureaucracy that will not lead to solutions. And, both endanger American families through their lax approach on immigration. Democrats have once again chosen their political agenda over legislating real and useful solutions.
Please call or email your Representative and ask them to oppose both H.R. 2203 and H.R. 3525.