Despite the crisis on the border continuing to rage as a result of inaction from Congress, House lawmakers skipped town on Friday and headed home for a nearly month and-a-half long recess.
Official notice just went out: House now on a six-week recess. Senate recess scheduled to start after next week.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 25, 2019
House Republicans sent a request to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi yesterday to cancel or delay August recess in order to address the issue with legislation. From The Hill:
A group of House conservatives led by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) is calling on Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to cancel August recess so that lawmakers can debate a bill to fund Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.
In a letter — signed by 34 GOP members including Roy — sent to Pelosi on Thursday, the lawmakers argue the lower chamber should not break without addressing funding for the agency and the humanitarian crisis at the border.
“We are united in our belief that the House of Representatives should not adjourn for August recess before providing adequate funding to our men and women of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on the frontlines dealing with the ongoing humanitarian crisis on our southern border,” they wrote.
“Additionally, we must address the largest barriers to regaining operational control of the border," the letter added, citing family detention, "the unintended consequences of the 2008 trafficking law that impedes our ability to expeditiously process unaccompanied children," and "loopholes in our asylum laws” as some of the examples.
The GOP members went on to blast Democrats for not moving the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill through regular order, arguing a debate on funding levels for ICE should have already taken place.
The White House, whose officials have been urging Congress for months to close loopholes fueling rampant asylum fraud, has taken notice.
.@realDonaldTrump keeps working hard for this country - the U.S. just signed a “Safe Third Agreement” w Guatemala to help secure our border. As the President works hard to solve the crisis on the southern border, I sure hope the dems enjoy their vacations!
— Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) July 26, 2019
Meanwhile, the Senate Judiciary Committee is still working to mark up Chairman Lindsey Graham's legislation addressing the issue.
The Graham legislation closes the gaps in current law that have led to an escalating number of immigrants traveling to the border.
— Senate Judiciary (@senjudiciary) May 15, 2019
Highlights of Graham’s legislation include: pic.twitter.com/b4JKOn5Oz0
Join the conversation as a VIP Member