Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and David Perdue (R-Ga.) released a statement today opposing the “Gang of 6” proposal which fails to address any of Pres. Trump’s immigration policy priorities. The proposal, presented by Sens. Durbin (D-Ill.), Flake (R-Ariz.), and Graham (R-S.C.) would not strengthen border security or interior enforcement, fails to end Chain Migration and the Visa Lottery, and would grant amnesty, not only to previous DACA recipients, but to all Dreamers and their parents as well. Press Release:
"The Durbin-Graham-Flake proposal would do nothing to solve the underlying problem in our current immigration system. It does not take the needed steps to fix our porous border and it fails to empower law enforcement to apprehend and remove dangerous criminals who are here illegally. Furthermore, since it does not end chain migration, this proposal guarantees we will be right back here dealing with this same situation in the near future. As we've said all along, those brought here illegally through no fault of their own shouldn't be punished, but this proposal also effectively legalizes those who knowingly broke our immigration laws. "America is the most welcoming country in the world. But the American people have understandably lost trust in Washington after multiple attempts to fix our broken immigration system have failed to address its underlying problems. "It's inconceivable that anyone would shut down the government over this plan. It's time to come back to the negotiating table and focus on getting a serious solution to the DACA situation that protects all Americans and our national security."
Sens. Cotton, Grassley, and Perdue further emphasized that any immigration bill that includes a deal on DACA must also totally end Chain Migration in an op-ed for The Hill. “Chain migration is one of the biggest problems in our immigration system today … our system prioritizes people based on their family ties, instead of their ability to contribute to our nation’s economic well-being. For some categories, like spouses, minor children, elderly and disabled parents, this makes sense. Family is the bedrock of our society, and immediate families should be together …” “We support policy that is pro-family, pro-growth, and pro-legal immigration. But we cannot let an opportunity to adopt a more worker-focused policy pass us by. Doing so only guarantees that we will be forced to address this very same issue at a later date. And in the meantime, American workers will bear the brunt of our inaction. “The only way to start that process, and to stop the influx of low-skilled immigrants, is to end chain migration. This change is crucial, and any immigration deal must include it.”
