Now that the expulsion of first generation immigrant, George Santos, is complete, House Republicans are busy pushing to tie aid to Ukraine and Israel to stricter immigration measures at the border. The move has made strange bedfellows with many Democrats supporting the measure as major ‘blue’ cities like New York and Chicago are forced to deal with the fallout from the surge at the border.
Here are three top immigration headlines making news this week:
1: House Republican’s Narrow Approach Continues
Instead of working towards comprehensive immigration reform to address the country’s broken immigration system, Republicans are pursuing a piecemeal approach that reinforces the narrative of a border crisis. Their focus is on tightening the asylum and humanitarian parole processes, which thousands use to temporarily stay in the U.S. while their claims navigate the heavily backlogged system.
The Biden administration has faced pressure to negotiate and make concessions on immigration in exchange for foreign aid, benefiting Ukraine and Israel with a total of $106 billion for ongoing conflicts. Behind closed doors, senators have explored measures to make it more difficult for migrants to pass the initial screening, known as the “credible fear interview,” which asylum officers use to determine if individuals can stay in the country to pursue their asylum cases. The aim is to raise the threshold for asylum claims, shifting from a “significant possibility” of success before an immigration judge to a “more likely than not” standard, according to sources familiar with the private discussions.
While a majority of asylum seekers pass the initial interviews, the final approval rate is considerably lower. Critics argue that the current screening standard is too lenient, allowing many asylum seekers to remain in the country for extended periods as their cases navigate the overwhelmed courts, only to ultimately be denied.
In addition, senators are exploring ways to restrict President Biden’s ability to use an Eisenhower-era law, previously relied upon by multiple presidents, to admit individuals temporarily into the country under humanitarian parole. This has been used for various groups, including Vietnamese, Cambodians, Laotians in the late 1970s, Iraqi Kurds during the 1990s Gulf War, and Cubans fleeing their country at different times, as documented by the Cato Institute.
Nothing is being discussed to help DACA recipients who continue to live in limbo.
2: House Passes Bill To Bar Use Of Public Lands For Migrant Housing
On November 30, the U.S. House passed H.R. 5283 by a vote of 224-203, aiming to prohibit the utilization of public lands for temporary housing for asylum-seeking migrants. The bill’s sponsor, Republican Representative Nicole Malliotakis of New York, argued that New York City’s decision to accommodate migrant families on public land incentivized individuals to undertake perilous journeys instead of applying for asylum in the nearest safe country. This action followed the Biden administration’s approval of New York City officials’ request to establish temporary housing and facilities for migrant families at Floyd Bennett Field in southeastern Brooklyn.
The legislation specifically prohibits such activities on lands under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Forest Service. Additionally, it rescinds a 2023 lease agreement between the National Park Service and New York City, which allowed the use of sections of the Gateway National Recreation Area for migrant housing.
However, the bill’s prospects appear dim in the U.S. Senate, where Democrats maintain a narrow majority. Many Democrats have criticized the bill, viewing it as a political maneuver geared towards the 2024 elections, in which stringent immigration policies are a focal point of the GOP platform. Currently, the Senate is engaged in negotiations over a $14 billion request from the White House to fund U.S. border security measures.
3: U.S. Closes Remote Arizona Border Crossing
A surge of migrants crossing from Mexico into the United States near remote Lukeville, Arizona, has led U.S. officials to make the decision to temporarily close the port of entry, the Associated Press reported. This move will allow the officials responsible for monitoring both vehicle and pedestrian traffic in both directions to assist Border Patrol agents in apprehending and processing the new arrivals. U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced this temporary closure, which begins on Monday Dec. 4, as they grapple with shifting migration patterns that have placed a significant strain on Border Patrol agents stationed in the area.
The writer is publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com, the Black Immigrant Daily News.