House Republicans released sweeping immigration legislation last week that would drastically tighten
asylum eligibility while expanding migrant family detention and crack down on the employment of
undocumented workers. The latest push was brought out in an aggressive 137-page bill. This bill is
essentially the latest response to high levels of migration on the US Mexico border, and is also timely
with President Biden announcing his re-election. Immigration policy will again be a focal point of
debate. The House Judiciary Committee met today to mark up the bill.
There is internal disagreement within the House Republican caucus over border security. The Bill will
struggle to gain traction in the Democrat-controlled Senate. Border Security measures have faced
numerous delays as previous versions contained far too rigid restrictions on Asylum. The new bill
includes provisions from the prior bill that would authorize the Homeland Security chief to block any
foreign citizen from entering the U.S. if the official decides it “is necessary in order to achieve operational
control over such border.”
The House Homeland Security is also expected to release a counterpart border security measure.
Chairman Mark E. Green of Tennessee said in March that his committee’s border bill would be released
in mid-April. A Homeland Security committee aide said Monday that bill would be released soon. It
would also require migrants to seek asylum at a designated port of entry, rather than after crossing the
border at any point, and revise a standard used by asylum officers as they evaluate a migrant’s initial
eligibility for asylum. The bill would also impose a $50 asylum fee for adults. The Trump administration
had also attempted to impose an asylum fee, but the effort was halted in court.
Contact the Law Offices of Anna Hysell at 760-233-0800 for help on all immigration matters.
