Press Release: U.S. House of Representatives Votes to Stop Expansion of President’s Deferred Action
Aug 1, 2014 Issues: Immigration
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the House of Representatives voted on two bills intended to address the humanitarian crisis on the southern border of the United States.
HR 5272 would prohibit the expansion of the President's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The DACA program was implemented by presidential executive order in 2012 to allow illegal immigrants who arrived as children to remain in the United States. HR 5272 would block presidential deportation deferrals from being provided to new illegal immigrants. The House passed the bill 216-192-1. Congressman Massie voted in favor of the bill.
Rep. Massie said, “President Obama’s 2012 DACA program led directly to the current surge of illegal immigration into the United States by encouraging immigrants to put themselves in harm’s way and break the law. Passage of this bill will cost the taxpayer nothing, yet it will send a clear message to Central American parents that amnesty will not be provided to new arrivals.”
HR 5230, the Southwest Border Supplemental Appropriations Act, would give President Obama $694 million to deal with the developing illegal immigration crisis. Congressman Massie voted against the spending bill, citing the refusal of the President to enforce existing immigration laws and the President's executive orders that have exacerbated the situation. The House passed the bill 223-189.
“President Obama’s lawless policies caused this crisis, and he refuses to take any action to correct it,” said Rep. Massie. “The President’s refusal to enforce the law has led Central American parents to believe that their children will be rewarded for breaking the law. Until the source of the crisis is addressed, no amount of money will solve the problem.”
