Rep. Calvert: “President Must Enforce Current Immigration Law”

"My constituents and all Americans expect our federal government to respond to the crisis at the border with clear and immediate solutions. Those solutions include sending the National Guard to the border, closing the unaccompanied children immigration loophole that was created by a 2008 law -- combined with a 2011 Executive Order, and humanely detaining those caught illegally crossing our borders until they can receive a deportation hearing in days, not weeks.

"Initially, it appeared as though Democrats in Washington supported many of these solutions. However, it has become increasingly clear that Democrats have changed their minds and are now attempting to use the ongoing crisis to try to advance their own political goals. Now our President is asking Congress for $3.7 billion yet refuses to enforce the laws passed by Congress, the representative body of our government.

"The bottom line is that we have immigration laws on the books; the President must enforce those laws. Putting a stop to the flow of immigrants illegally crossing our border does not require the passage of significant immigration reform legislation. Until we gain operational control of the border, there should be absolutely no discussion of broader immigration reform.

"The President created this crisis and now he must correct it by deporting those apprehended crossing our borders illegally. He must enforce the law and end the practice of choosing who gets deported and choosing who gets released into our communities only to disappear. He must rigorously ensure that only legal workers are able to get jobs. He must ensure that public benefits only go to those who are legally present in our country. He must end the deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA), a policy decision that should be left to Congress. He must not relax refugee status definitions that would further exacerbate the problem.

"We in the U.S. House of Representatives will fulfill our Constitutional duties. It is time the President does the same and stop the erosion of American sovereignty."

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