CD302: The Border Bills

This election has featured a lot of talk about 'immigration' and 'the border' but has been short on specifics. In this episode, you'll get those specifics. Specifically, you'll learn what was in H.R. 2, a Republican bill passed by the House, and you'll learn what was in the so-called bipartisan border bill which was killed by Donald Trump's loyalists in the Senate and which Kamala Harris has promised to revive as President. Which bill would actually solve the problems? Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the show notes on our website at congressionaldish.com/cd302-the-border-bills Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD177: Immigrant Family Separations Current Immigration Process Visas "Immigrant Investor Visas." Accessed October 22, 2024. U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. "The Latest USCIS Processing Times – 2024." Accessed October 22, 2024. Boundless. "The Diversity Visa Lottery, Explained." Accessed October 22, 2024. Boundless. "Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (Green Card Lottery)." October 22, 2024. USAGov. "Visa Bulletin For October 2024." September 3, 2024. U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. Asylum "Refugee admissions are increasing after a 40-year low in 2021." August 1, 2024. USAFacts. "Biden imposes sweeping asylum ban at US-Mexico border." Ted Hesson and Mica Rosenberg. June 5, 2024. Reuters. "U.S. Annual Refugee Resettlement Ceilings and Number of Refugees Admitted, 1980-Present." Accessed October 22, 2024. Migration Policy Institute. Unauthorized Immigration "Migrant encounters at U.S.-Mexico border have fallen sharply in 2024." John Gramlich. October 1, 2024. Pew Research Center. "What we know about unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S." Jeffrey S. Passel and Jens Manuel Krogstad. July 22, 2024. Pew Research Center. Backlog "Immigration Court Backlog Tops 3 Million; Each Judge Assigned 4,500 Cases." December 18, 2023. TRAC Immigration. Immigrant Detention "Unchecked Growth: Private Prison Corporations and Immigration Detention, Three Years into the Biden Administration." Eunice Cho. August 7, 2023. American Civil Liberties Union. Irwin County Detention Center "Hearing: Medical Mistreatment of Women in ICE Detention." November 15, 2022. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. "Ossoff to present findings of investigation into abuse, unnecessary gynecological procedures at Georgia ICE facility." Jonathan Raymond. November 15, 2022. 11 ALIVE. "US Ends Use Of Irwin County Detention Center After Accusations Of Mistreatment." May 20, 2021. WABE. "ICE to close Georgia detention center where immigrant women alleged medical abuse." Molly O'Toole. May 20, 2021. The LA Times. C. Carlos Carreiro Immigration Detention Center in Bristol County, MA "ICE ends relationship with Bristol County Sheriff Hodgson, citing mistreatment of detainees." Ben Berke. May 21, 2021. The Public's Radio. "Investigation into the Events of May 1, 2020 at the C. Carlos Carreiro Immigration Detention Center, Unit B, Bristol County Sheriff's Office." December 15, 2020. Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General Civil Rights Division. Etowah County Detention Center in Gadsden, Alabama "Final ICE detainees removed from Etowah County Detention Center." Erin Wise. April 15, 2022. ABC 33 40 News. "U.S. to close, scale back four immigrant detention centers." Ted Hesson and Mica Rosenberg. March 25, 2022. Reuters. "ICE Withdrawing Detainees From Etowah County Detention Center, Cites 'Serious Deficiencies.'" March 25, 2022. BirminghamWatch. "ICE to close Etowah Detention Center." March 25, 2022. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. "'The Worst Place Ever' is ICE's Etowah County Detention Center in Alabama." Paul Moses. June 8, 2018. The Daily Beast. Glades County Detention Center in Moore Haven, Florida "'No one should be treated this way': Congressional Leaders Renew Call on Biden Administration to Close Troubled Florida ICE Prison." February 2, 2022. Freedom for Immigrants. "Letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas." Debbie Wasserman Schultz et al. February 1, 2022. South Texas Family Residential Center "CoreCivic Inc: Summary." Accessed October 22, 2024. OpenSecrets. "ICE to close nation's largest migrant detention center in South Texas." Sandra Sanchez. Updated June 24, 2024. Border Report. "US to close costly Texas immigration detention center and reroute funds." Ted Hesson. June 10, 2024. Reuters. Penalties for Illegally Entering Countries "Punishment for Illegally Entering Countries 2024." World Population Review. Bipartisan Border Bill Failure "Bipartisan border bill loses support, fails procedural vote in U.S. Senate." Ariana Figueroa. May 24, 2024. Missouri Independent. "The reward for Republicans who try to solve problems: humiliation." Catherine Rampell. May 23, 2024. The Washington Post. "Abandoned by his colleagues after negotiating a border compromise, GOP senator faces backlash alone." Mary Clare Jalonick and Stephen Groves. February 7, 2024. AP News. "Senate Republicans block bipartisan border package, then scramble to find support for Ukraine aid." Mary Clare Jalonick and Stephen Groves. February 7, 2024. AP News. The Bills H.R.2 - Secure the Border Act of 2023 GovTrack Summary House Vote Breakdown H.R. 2 Outline Division A - Border Wall Would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to resume "all activities" related to constructing a border wall between the US and Mexico that were planned by the Trump administration. Wall would have to be at least 900 miles long, and include not only a physical wall, but also surveillance towers, radars, seismic acoustic detection sensors, and 24 hour drone monitoring. Would require killing all carrizo cane and salt cedar plants along the Rio Grande River by releasing non-stinging wasps imported from Spain and France into the area. Would waive "all legal requirements" that would stand in the way of of building the wall. Division B - Immigration Enforcement and Foreign Affairs Would make it illegal to process asylum claims of individuals who: do not enter at official ports of entry. crossed through another country on their way to the US and did not apply to live there and receive an official denial in each country they entered before entering the US. have been convicted of misdemeanor offenses, allowing the Secretary of Homeland Security or Attorney General to add disqualifying acts without approval from Congress and no court reviews allowed. Would allow the Secretary of Homeland Security to take away the authorization for an individual who has been accepted into the US through the asylum process to work legally in the US. Work permits would only be authorized for 6 months at a time. Would reopen detention centers that were closed by the Biden Administration. Title V - Protection of Children Would require the DHS Secretary to return unaccompanied children back to their home countries if they are not trafficking victims and do not have a fear of Return. Would authorize immigration officers to withdraw a child's application to be admitted into the United States regardless of the child's ability or desire to do so. Would require the DHS to collect information - name, social security number, DOB, address, contact info, and immigration status - of people who will be taking custody of immigrant children. Within 30 days of receiving that information, if they …