Utah Valley Times

Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) has joined a group of colleagues, led by Senator James Lankford (R-OK), in sending a letter to President Joe Biden expressing concerns over his Executive Order offering amnesty to illegal aliens unlawfully present in the United States.

The Members wrote, "We have previously challenged the legality of your Administration’s parole authority and have sought to reform this authority to ensure that decisions regarding parole are restored to Congress’ original intent – 'on a case-by-case basis' to aliens who are not already present in the US. Under your Administration, the parole authority has been unlawfully used to circumvent screening and vetting, mass parole of illegal aliens after the cartels surge caravans at the border, and to circumvent normal refugee processing. These actions undermine the immigration laws Congress has passed, and they have eroded the rule of law at our southern border."

They continued, "Border security is national security, and our adversaries will continue to take advantage of the chaos your Administration created by announcing this policy. We urge you to rescind this policy immediately and focus your efforts on securing our border against the cartels and adversaries who will welcome this chaos."

Romney and Lankford were joined by Senators John Thune (R-SD), Ted Budd (R-NC), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Cornyn (R-TX), John Kennedy (R-LA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), John Hoeven (R-ND), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Thom Tillis (R-NC).

The letter addressed several key points:

"Dear President Biden:

We write today to express our grave concerns regarding your proposal to offer amnesty to illegal aliens who are unlawfully present in the United States. This action directly contravenes the laws Congress has passed, and it will throw fuel on the fire of the ongoing border crisis.

We have previously challenged the legality of your Administration’s parole authority and have sought to reform this authority to ensure that decisions regarding parole are restored to Congress’ original intent—'on a case-by-case basis' to aliens who are not already present in the US. Under your Administration, the parole authority has been unlawfully used to circumvent screening and vetting, mass parole of illegal aliens after the cartels surge caravans at the border, and to circumvent normal refugee processing. These actions undermine the immigration laws Congress has passed, and they have eroded the rule of law at our southern border.

Parole was never intended as a mass amnesty. Your actions fly in the face of clear reading of law. Due reckless policies,your Administation encountered more illegals at southern boarder than Obama adminstration & Trump administration combined.DHS recently promulgated regulations that appear tighten border,but implementing policy guidance,DHS website,border data since implementation show what all Americans know—the border remains wide open.

Since day one Adminstration,you rolled back measures would secured our boarder including Remain Mexico program,the asylum cooperative agreements,and ICE enforcement priorities prevent deportation most illegals immigrants.These actions many others invited chaos present at boarder communities across country.

Numerous inspector general reports,Govt Accountability Office reports news reports shown DHS overwhelmed by boarder crisis unable vet illegals immigrants cross our boarder.CBP encountered nearly 180k illegals immigrants April 2024.This would record had Adminstration not previously set records highest October November December earlier fiscal year.

ICE just arrested 8 illegals known ties ISIS-K,and news reports stated ICE personnel told prepared more arrests ISIS affiliates.Our boarder security apparatus failed because volume illegals crossing overwhelmed DHS ability vet each individual DHS custody.

This week’s action doubles down Adminstration message world America will not enforce law southern boarder.

Boarder security national security,and adversaries continue take advantage chaos Adminstration created announcing policy.We urge rescind policy immediately focus efforts securing boarder against cartels adversaries welcome chaos.Please complete form below subscribe Senator Romney’s email newsletter."