The House is out; the Senate is looking for the exit

The House of Representatives has sent its members home until after the midterm elections. The Senate is expected to remain in Washington for the next two weeks, but the smell of jet fumes is getting stronger. Senators are already looking for ways to get out of town sooner, so don’t be surprised if they succumb to the seemingly irresistible draw of the jet fumes!

With the House out of town and the Senate focused on college sports, we at the Immigration Accountability Project are focused on the lame duck portion of the 119th Congress. 

• How will Congress fund the government? The Continuing Resolution funding the government currently expires on December 11. 
• Will the House vote on Rep. Tom McClintock’s (R-CA) Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act (H.R. 7640), which was marked up and passed by the Judiciary Committee last March? A handful of House Republican moderates has promised to sign a discharge petition for amnesty if this bill (or any other immigration enforcement legislation) is brought up for a vote. 
• Will one more pro-amnesty Republican sign the discharge petition for Rep. Sylvia Garcia’s (D-TX) American Dream and Promise Act amnesty (H.R. 1589)? Just one more signature on the petition will force a vote on the amnesty bill on the House floor.

These are just some of the questions for which we are seeking answers. We have been meeting with Republican Leadership, as well as other members and staff to make sure we have plans in place for when Congress returns in early November.  

IAP files comment on 60-day grace period regulation

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services posted a proposed regulation to eliminate the 60-day grace period that certain temporary foreign workers—including E, H-1B, L, O, and TN visa holders—are given to find a new job if they are terminated. The Obama Administration instituted the 60-day grace period just before President Trump took office the first time. We pointed out in our comment that the law requires a specific employer to petition for a specific worker to perform a specific job. It therefore violates the spirit and the letter of the law to allow these workers to compete with Americans for other jobs, once the job they were imported for ends.

Members move to stop border surges, but mass amnesty gains steam

Climbing 📈in the immigration rankings

This week in the House, Representatives Randy Weber (TX-14) and Addison McDowell (R-NC) jumped into the top 18th and 26th positions, respectively. That places Weber in the top 4% in the House, and McDowell in the top 6%. Along with them, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) continued his climb in this week’s IAP Action Congressional Immigration Rankings, moving up 17 positions to become the 90th-ranked Member of the House, or the top 21%.

These moves came after they cosponsored a piece of key legislation supported by IAP Action: the Stopping Border Surges Act (H.R. 116). This bill would curb unauthorized border crossings by overruling the expanded Flores Settlement Agreement to expedite the processing of unaccompanied alien children. It also tightens asylum eligibility standards by imposing stricter filing deadlines and safe-third-country rules, and increasing penalties.

Rounding out the House climbers this week, Rep. Jefferson Shreve (R-IN) endorsed an IAP Action key bill, the SAFE for America Act (H.R. 1241), which would end the visa lottery, as well as the Make the Migrant Protection Protocols Mandatory Act (H.R. 551), which would mandate the Remain in Mexico policy. Accordingly, Rep. Shreve has moved up 21 positions to 108th place in the House, or the top 25%. Rep. Bob Onder (R-MO) was the latest to join the No HUD Funding for Sanctuary Cities Act (H.R. 10222), moving him into 102nd place, in the top 24%.

In the Senate, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) climbed up to 6th place for cosponsoring the Senate companion to the Stopping Border Surges Act (S. 5371). Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) moved into 21st place by cosponsoring the Keep Our Communities Safe Act (S. 5337), to guarantee the detention of dangerous inadmissible or deportable aliens.

Sliding 📉in the immigration rankings

Downward movement this week in the House was driven primarily by Democrats cosponsoring one amnesty bill: the Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 Act (H.R. 4696). This bill would grant amnesty to every illegal alien who claims to have been in the country for at least seven years. For cosponsoring that amnesty, Reps. Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Rep. Sam Liccardo (D-CA) dropped to a tie at 370th place (bottom 15%), Rep. Sara Jacobs dropped to 386th place (bottom 11%), and Rep. Nellie Pou (D-NJ) sank to 325th place (bottom 25%) in the House.

Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) cosponsored the Real Courts, Rule of Law Act (H.R. 7836), which would transform the civil immigration court system into an “independent” court system. This would allow activist judges to expand their vetoes of legitimate immigration law to individual immigration cases. Accordingly, Rep. Correa dropped to 363rd place in the House, putting him in the bottom 17%. Rep. Tonko also cosponsored this bill.

On the Senate side, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) cosponsored the Investing in the American Dream Act (S. 4411), which gives asylees, refugees, nonimmigrants, lawful permanent residents, and DACA recipients access to Federal small business loans. She dropped to the 76th place in the Senate.

You can view the full Congressional Immigration Rankings at IAPAction.com.

Immigration Articles

Washington Times: House subpoenas Fairfax County’s prosecutor over sanctuary policy fight

The House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano over allegations that his sanctuary policies offer lenient charging and plea agreements to illegal aliens.

NBC News: White House withdraws Trump’s nominee to lead ICE

The White House has withdrawn the nomination of former Oklahoma state trooper Lance Schroyer to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul blocked the pick over unanswered questions regarding federal law enforcement shootings.

Fox News: House GOP lawmaker under fire by fellow Republicans after ad bashing Trump on immigration

The House Freedom Caucus and the Department of Homeland Security strongly condemned Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) after the Florida Republican released a campaign ad criticizing President Trump’s immigration enforcement policies and opposing the deportation of illegal aliens not convicted of additional crimes. Congresswoman Salazar ranks 216th in the House on IAPAction.com, making her the 4th lowest-ranked Republican.

Next Week

The House is out until November. The Senate returns next week.