Amidst the current crisis occurring at the U.S. southern border, House Democrats passed an immigration bill this week. But, those hoping the tremendous numbers of illegal aliens storming into the country will finally stop shouldn’t get their hopes up. According to TheBlaze, the House bill included zero funding for much needed border security.
Rather than protect the border, Democrats, along with seven Republicans, voted to approve House Resolution 6, also known as the “American Dream and Promise Act of 2019,” which would provide amnesty to a minimum of two and a half million illegal aliens who were either brought to America when they were minors or have received “Temporary Protected Status.” According to TheBlaze, “That number is well beyond the estimated 700,000 to 800,000 total DACA recipients. This would take the form of green card status with a path to citizenship.” The final vote in the Democrat controlled House was 237 to 187.
When the bill was introduced in March of this year, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated, “The Dream, and now Dream and Promise Act, is urgent for our country.” TheBlaze reported that Pelosi attempted “to sell the legislation under a few lines from a Ronald Reagan speech.” Critics of the measure have aptly pointed out that it wouldn’t do anything to fix the legal loopholes and border enforcement issues that caused the current adverse situation.
On June 4, 2019, U.S. Representative Chip Roy, a Republican from Texas, blasted the bill on social media. Roy proclaimed the measure would cost American taxpayers $34.6 billion according to the Congressional Budget Office. The conservative lawmaker expressed his disdain that the bill would provide “$0 (ZERO) dollars for border security” and also wouldn’t offer any asylum reforms. Inquiring rhetorically, Roy remarked, “What is it? A complete dereliction of our constitutional duty to #SecureTheBorder and address the ongoing humanitarian crisis at our southern border.”
TheBlaze reported that a summary sheet from House Judiciary Republicans showed the complete cost of the measure originates from the combined estimated expense of the two bills that the law is derived from. The conservative media outlet revealed, “The summary also explains that ‘time constraints’ kept the CBO from being able to calculate the potential public cost of aliens who could seek citizenship by violating the terms of their visas and then become eligible for green cards: ‘That cost is unknown.’”
Some opponents of the bill believe its barriers against applicants with criminal pasts isn’t high enough. Briefing documents regarding the measure from Republican Whip Steve Scalise’s office state that “applicants with several misdemeanor convictions can obtain a green card, even if the misdemeanors were violent and resulted in death or bodily injury.” The measure would prevent illegal aliens who have been convicted of three different misdemeanors involving total jail time of more than 90 days or felonies from obtaining green cards. The bill’s benefits also aren’t available for people who have been convicted of domestic violence or a “crime of moral turpitude.” But, according to TheBlaze, “the bill bars DHS from using state and federal gang databases as the determining factor in disqualifying potential beneficiaries.”
Lambasting the bill, House Judiciary Committee ranking member Doug Collins quipped on the House floor, “The Democrats are making us consider a bill that will worsen — give a green light — to the border crisis, incentivizing more people to cross our borders illegally in hopes of getting a piece of the amnesty pie. No doubt at this very minute, the smuggling cartels are getting the word out … Congress is going to legalize millions, just get there.”
While House Democrats refuse to allocate money to a border wall, a seven-year-old boy has been working hard to raise money for the effort himself. According to TheBlaze, Benton Stevens raised an impressive $22,000 for privately funded border wall construction with a hot chocolate stand. The youngster, who plans to sell lemonade this summer, hopes to raise $50,000 for the construction of a border wall. Stevens recently attended the ribbing-cutting ceremony for the first stage of the private border wall.
Perhaps, House Democrats can take a cue from this ambitious seven-year-old.
~ Patriotic Freedom Fighter
