Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2015--Motion to Proceed--Continued

Floor Speech

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Mr. CASSIDY. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the House-
passed Homeland Security appropriations bill. This bill is not just
about whether we should fund the Department of Homeland Security to
carry out the very important work of protecting our Nation, but also
whether we will provide amnesty to those here illegally.

First, let's establish that the Constitution says Congress has
authority over our immigration and naturalization laws. The President
does not have the authority to waive legal requirements. The Supreme
Court has upheld this on numerous occasions. The President has admitted
more than 20 times he does not have this authority. That said, now his
administration is attempting to block the ruling the judge recently
made to protect his amnesty plan. As has been reported in the papers,
Judge Hanen in Texas has put an injunction against proceeding with the
President's amnesty bill. It is reported the Department of Homeland
Security, at the President's direction, is moving forward with plans to
seal large contracts with companies to process deferred-action
applications for millions of illegal immigrants as soon as possible.

American families have seen President Obama rewrite the laws many
times, and the outcomes of the recent elections show they do not
support President Obama's Executive overreach. The President intends to
grant amnesty to 5 million people. This will not be done on a case-by-case basis as the law suggests it should be.

It is going to be a rubberstamp, a rubberstamp at the expense of those
who are legally attempting to come to our country. It will take longer
for those who are attempting to come legally to gain admittance under
the law. I support the efforts of those coming to the United States to
make a better life for themselves and their family. We all believe in
immigration. We just think immigration should be legal.

The President has rewritten the law to allow illegal immigrants the
ability to receive work permits and drivers licenses which also
includes receiving a Social Security number. After a certain period of
time they will be eligible for Social Security. This goes far beyond
his legal authority. By the way, many of my Democratic colleagues have
expressed concerns about the President's action and whether he had the
constitutional authority to take the action he has taken. Clearly he
does not. While the President says this legal status is temporary, the
reality is once work permits have been issued and Social Security cards
are given, folks will be allowed to stay. They would not be deemed a
priority for removal. On top of that, the temporary status may be
renewed.

In 2011, the President took Executive action for the Department of
Homeland Security to start prioritizing illegal immigrants for removal.
In April 2014, several months before he took his most recent action,
the Los Angeles Times quoted former ICE Director John Sandweg in an
article where he said, If you are a run-of-the-mill immigrant here
illegally, your odds of getting deported are close to zero.

The Associated Press reported in September 2014 the Department of
Homeland Security admitted to a group of immigrant advocates during a
confidential meeting that about 70 percent of illegal immigrants
traveling as families failed to report back to ICE as ordered after
they were released at the border.

A few weeks ago Louisiana school administrators and I met, and they
expressed concern about how the President's immigration policies have
stressed our school systems. Classroom sizes have grown. Their
associated costs to hire more teachers, buy textbooks, and the required
resources to educate these students all have grown. President Obama is
giving Executive amnesty to suit his agenda but is stretching limited
local and State resources. By stretching them, it is making it tougher
on Americans who are born here.

The administration says only 5 million people will be impacted by the
President's Executive order. The reality is with numerous options for
illegal immigrants to remain in this country, people are going to hear
about it. They will attempt to come. This will be a magnet for others
to come here illegally. Illegal behavior is being rewarded.

If the President's supporters feel compelled to continue blocking the
funding bill, it must be clear they feel that Executive amnesty is
legal regardless of how the courts have ruled. It is clear they believe
that protecting the President's illegal action is more important than
providing our men and women with the resources to protect our border.

We must fund the Department of Homeland Security. As I have said,
many of my colleagues who expressed serious concerns with the
President's Executive actions in November are now voting to protect
these actions. It is unfortunate they voted four times to prevent this
bill--the Homeland Security funding bill--from coming up for debate.
They won't even allow debate. Folks say they want funding for the
Homeland Security Department, but they won't allow debate. This is
unconscionable.

I believe it is important we move forward to avoid a shutdown of the
Department of Homeland Security. I urge my colleagues to please stop
blocking this important legislation we must pass to protect our country
and give the men and women of Homeland Security the resources they need
and, most importantly, to protect the Constitution.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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