GOP Presidential Hopeful and Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) released his full immigration plan on Friday with details to secure the border, enforce existing immigration laws, and reform the legal immigration system. Cruz said he will use his "authority to secure the border, and to restore the value of American citizenship and the Rule of Law" while "protecting American jobs and interests".
In an effort to secure the border, Sen. Cruz pledged to complete the 700-mile, double-layered fencing that was authorized by Congress when it passed the Secure Fence Act in 2006. He also pledged to triple the number of Border Patrol agents and add high-tech resources, including aerial surveillance, cameras, sensors, and monitors. As part of securing the border, Sen. Cruz also pledged to implement the biometric entry-exit system that's been authorized by Congress to track foreign visitors.
Sen. Cruz said that he would "restore the rule of law" by ending Pres. Obama's executive amnesties and enforcing existing immigration laws. Cruz pledged to end catch-and-release that allows illegal border crossers to reach the interior of the United States, increase the amount of detention space for detained illegal aliens, block federal law enforcement funding and local community grants to sanctuary cities, deport criminal aliens, increase penalties for illegal re-entry into the United States, and increase the number of immigration judges to speed up the prosecution of illegal aliens. Sen. Cruz also said he would reinstate the 287(g) program that allows state and local police to assist federal immigration agents with the enforcement of immigration laws.
Sen. Cruz said he would also cut off many of the rewards for illegal immigration by ending government benefits for illegal-alien households. And while he stopped short of requiring all businesses to use E-Verify, he did express support in blocking companies from deducting wages paid to illegal workers from their income taxes and allowing employers to use E-Verify as a safe harbor.
Sen. Cruz has long supported increasing the number of foreign workers who can come to the United States each year, but he said he wouldn't support any increases as long as unemployment for Americans remained high. He said he would also enforce the public-charge doctrine, which forbids legal immigrants from accessing public welfare programs but has rarely been enforced, end Birthright Citizenship, and suspend the H-1B visa program until the allegations of abuse can be investigated and rooted out. Sen. Cruz also announced support for ending chain migration and the visa lottery and support for reforms to the asylum and refugee programs.
You can read Sen. Cruz's full immigration plan here.
