[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9883-9884]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              IMMIGRATION

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I come to the floor to address two 
issues, a shorter issue on immigration and a longer issue on the 
student loan program, particularly in reference to legislation offered 
earlier this morning.

[[Page 9884]]

  On immigration, this morning, Secretary Johnson appeared before the 
Judiciary Committee. We had a chance to ask a number of questions 
related to the administration's release of 36,000 criminal aliens, for 
what reasons the Department voluntarily did release them--especially 
convicted murderers--and what they are doing to track down and keep 
track of where these people are. I didn't get answers, but the 
Secretary committed to respond in writing about the matter, and I thank 
him ahead of time for doing that.
  I also asked about data on countries that refuse to cooperate in 
taking back their nationals. Today I am introducing a bill with Senator 
Inhofe to fix this situation and allow the government to detain foreign 
nationals who pose a threat to our homeland. I have a longer statement 
on that issue.
  Finally, I mention that the Secretary of Homeland Security answered a 
lot of questions related to unaccompanied children coming to the United 
States, mostly from Central America, and entering our southern border.
  I agree we do have a humanitarian problem. These are vulnerable 
children whose lives are on the line. They are escorted by strangers 
for the most part, away from their families in some cases, and each of 
these young people probably not understanding what lies ahead.
  When in custody, our government makes an attempt to reunite them with 
their families. However, sometimes the government is handing them over 
to nonrelatives, which concerns me because of the potential of placing 
them in the hands of pimps and traffickers.
  As I said this morning in the committee, these children are being 
lured into these dire circumstances by false promises. That is evident 
from the interviews being done with the children.
  Already, border agents and intelligence analysts have been 
interviewing the youth to understand why they are migrating at this 
particular time. Today I received a document that summarizes the 
findings of these interviewers. The document, while it does not have 
any author or official seal, was apparently done to summarize the 
interviews of individuals crossing the border along the McAllen, Rio 
Grande City, and Weslaco stations.
  Two hundred thirty subjects were interviewed from several countries. 
An overwhelming majority said they were coming to the United States to 
take advantage of the new U.S. law that grants a free pass to 
unaccompanied children and female adults traveling with minors. That 
so-called free pass refers to a Notice to Appear document issued and 
then saying they are released on their own recognizance pending a 
hearing.
  There is no new law. There is a new bill that passed the Senate 1 
year ago but not through the House of Representatives, and it may never 
be. So there is no new law granting a free pass to unaccompanied 
children and female adults traveling with minors.
  Specifically, this report states:

       A high percentage of the subjects interviewed stated their 
     family members in the U.S. urged them to travel immediately, 
     because the United States Government was only issuing 
     immigration [free passes] until the end of June 2014.

  The report states that:

       The issue of free passes was the main reason provided by 95 
     percent, plus or minus, of the interviewed subjects.

  So while I understand there are a lot of factors involved, we cannot 
ignore the fact that these children are coming or are being forced here 
because of a belief on their part that they will never be deported.
  We can say that is thanks to the Obama administration because this 
administration has refused to be serious about immigration enforcement. 
The President needs to send a signal right away, if he wants to stop 
this catastrophe from happening, that the laws will be enforced.
  Instead of reviewing deportation policies and suggesting ways to 
remove fewer people, the President should task Secretary Johnson with 
finding ways to actually enforce the laws we have on the books.
  We must send a very strong signal that there is no benefit and no 
avenue for them to remain in the United States. We must do this so the 
children are not lured into dire situations in the future. Even before 
they cross the border into the United States, they are probably already 
in circumstances we would consider a dire situation.

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