Immigration

Floor Speech

Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, the situation on our southern border and the influx of unaccompanied migrant children is both tragic and alarming.

As the House and Senate debate this matter, it's important for us to recognize several areas of discussion that demand our attention.

To start, Mr Speaker, we know this influx has been building for some time and that over the last several months it has grown at an even faster pace.

Before 2009, the flow of unaccompanied children attempting to cross the border was less than 10,000 per year.

These numbers have increased dramatically over the last few years. While recent estimates over the past month appear to indicate the flow is subsiding, we remain on pace to exceed 90,000 children for 2014.

We also know that more than 90 percent of all these children come from just three countries--El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

While economic conditions in this region have been poor for quite some time, they have not significantly changed in the last few years.

We also know that a law passed in 2008 with the best of intentions--the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization--is making it more difficult to return unaccompanied children to their families.

Unlike illegal immigrants from Mexico, who are required by law to be processed and promptly returned home, the 2008 law guarantees minors from these countries a court date and mandates extensive assistance for temporary relocation as they wait out their pending appeal.

We also know that a large number of these individuals evade attending these proceedings, and that ultimately, few minors are sent home. In fact, most are able to stay for years, and a large number remain permanently.

According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement data, only 1,669 children were deported in 2013 despite more than 26,000 apprehensions.

These statistics are stunning, Mr. Speaker.

There is no wonder that according to interviews conducted by the Department of Homeland Security that more than 90 percent of these children expect they will be able to stay in the United States.

Mr. Speaker, what's even more concerning is how many of the Obama Administration's policies have not helped the current crisis.

For example, the President's 2012 policy for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals gives these families hope that they might receive some sort of amnesty. This policy not only is detrimental to the rule of law and an overreach of executive authority, but it also sends the wrong signal.

Mr. Speaker, all of this is a stark reminder of just how flawed the President and Senate's immigration reform bill is. Granting amnesty to 11 million illegal immigrants would merely serve to reinforce the perceptions that if you come to the U.S. illegally you will be rewarded--and not only with a hearing, but full legalization. This does not help the current situation, to say the least.

Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, billions in new spending as the President has requested will not reverse the perceptions of a lenient enforcement environment in the U.S.
Alternatively, what we do know is that this administration--and every administration--must do more to secure the border.

What we do know, Mr. Speaker, is that we must do more to stem this migration influx, which should include changes to the 2008 trafficking law.

What we do know, Mr. Speaker, is that we must do more to leverage our relations with Central America to support the expedited return of these children in a humane fashion.

What we do know Mr. Speaker, is that we need the White House to enforce the laws, better secure our border, and to put aside political games and actually start working with Congress in a bipartisan manner.

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