Please be ready to pass the Secure the Border Act the moment it arrives.

The previous administration granted a quiet amnesty to nearly a million people without a single vote in Congress, simply by having immigration judges shelve their removal cases. A federal court recently undid one piece of that, but a court ruling can be reversed, and the enforcement gains we have made can vanish with the stroke of a pen. And after the Supreme Court’s June 30 decision in Trump v. Barbara locked in birthright citizenship for the children of illegal and temporary residents, stopping the flows that trigger that reward matters more than ever. Permanent reform has to come from Congress.

The House committed to passing the Secure the Border Act (H.R. 2) but let its deadline slip, and the Senate should be ready to act the moment the bill arrives. It would tighten asylum standards, require E-Verify, criminalize visa overstays, and end the catch-and-release and parole loopholes that fueled the crisis — putting these reforms beyond the reach of any future administration. Please be prepared to take up H.R. 2 without delay and help build an immigration system that works for the American people.

Greg Raven, Apple Valley, CA

Sent to:
Alex Padilla, Adam Schiff