Border & Immigration News
The Daily Signal provides border and immigration news, including reporting, analysis, and commentary on policy, enforcement, and political debates.
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Texas Attorney General ‘Very Confident’ Courts Will Side With States in Fight Over Obama Immigration Policy
As lawmakers in Congress struggle to find agreement in their fight to undo President Obama’s immigration policy, a state attorney general today voiced confidence in the courtroom battle over the executive actions. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called the Obama administration “disingenuous” and “devious” for appealing a federal judge’s order halting the president’s executive actions…Josh Siegel -
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Why Congress, Not Just the Courts, Must Address Obama’s Immigration Executive Actions
If funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapses on Friday, there should be no confusion as to who is “defunding” Homeland Security. The House passed a spending bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security. The legislation would prohibit funding for implementation of President Obama’s illegal executive actions on immigration, while still funding the…Daren Bakst -
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Conservatives Reject McConnell Plan to End Immigration, Homeland Security Stalemate
As the Friday deadline for funding the Department of Homeland Security nears, House Conservatives are fighting a new Senate plan for preventing a partial shutdown of the agency. Under Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s proposal, his chamber would vote first on a measure to fund Homeland Security and then hold a separate vote on a…Josh Siegel -
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Republicans Differ Over How to Fight Obama on Immigration, Fund Homeland Security
For each side in the debate over funding the Department of Homeland Security, the answer is simple—at least in their own minds. “I think the bill we passed is the right position, plain and simple,” said Rep. Jim Jordan, who won’t support anything other than House-passed legislation that funds Homeland Security only if Congress revokes…Josh Siegel -
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The Obama Administration Makes Its Next Move in the Immigration Fight
As expected, the U.S. Department of Justice filed an appeal today with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Texas v. U.S. This is the lawsuit filed by 26 states against President Obama’s unilateral amnesty plan for illegal immigrants. The Justice Department will be asking the Fifth Circuit to overturn the Feb. 17 order of…Hans von Spakovsky -
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Q&A: What You Need to Know About Court Order Stopping Obama’s Immigration Actions
A federal judge’s ruling Monday halted President Obama’s executive actions on immigration, stopping—at least temporarily—the government’s attempt to grant legal status to an estimated 5 million illegal immigrants. U.S. District Court Judge Andrew S. Hanen’s ruling, in response to a lawsuit from 26 states, comes just days before the Obama administration planned to implement the…Josh Siegel -
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What 2016 Hopefuls Say About the Court Ruling Against Obama’s Immigration Moves
Would-be successors to President Obama wasted little time aligning themselves with a federal judge who blocked the president from unilaterally allowing up to 5 million illegal immigrants to stay here and get work permits. Although neither Hillary Rodham Clinton nor any other Democratic hopeful was out front with a reaction, some of the likeliest Republican…Ken McIntyre -
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Senate Democrats Choosing Illegal Immigrants Over Border Patrol Agents
Allow funding for the Department of Homeland Security to lapse or engage in the legislative process. Those are the only two options Senate Democrats have at this point. Everything else transcribed in the press or recited by television pundits is nothing more than a distraction. Senate Democrats, of course, deny that binary choice, but their…Mike Needham -
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Federal Judge Blocks Obama’s Immigration Actions. Here Are 32 Tweets Reacting to the Ruling.
A federal judge’s ruling yesterday halted President Obama’s executive actions on immigration, stopping—at least temporarily—the government’s attempt to grant legal status to an estimated 5 million illegal immigrants. U.S. District Court Judge Andrew S. Hanen’s ruling, in response to a lawsuit from 25 states, comes just days before the Obama administration planned to implement the…Ben Smith -
- Opinion
Gary Haugen’s Congressional Testimony on Human Trafficking
In his recent testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Gary Haugen, President and CEO of International Justice Mission, shared practical steps that Congress could take to end human trafficking. Haugen emphasized that local law enforcement and a fair judicial system are the keys to defeating this global scourge. Without ending impunity, he says, human…Olivia Enos -
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10 States Suing Over Obama’s Immigration Actions Find Their Senators on Opposite Side
Twenty-six states are suing the federal government over President Obama’s executive actions on immigration, but U.S. senators representing 10 of those states are taking the opposite approach in Washington. “We have senators from states going against what their constituents want and what their state attorney generals or governors are doing,” says @HvonSpakovsky Lawmakers in Florida, Indiana,…Kelsey Bolar -
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Border Patrol Union Leader Blasts Washington: ‘We’re in the Middle of Political Football’
A union leader for U.S. Border Patrol agents spoke out today to voice concern about the political haggling over funding for the Department of Homeland Security. “We don’t want our border left unguarded,” says @Shawn_Moran Shawn Moran, vice president for the National Border Patrol Council, says the congressional showdown over President Obama’s executive actions and…Josh Siegel -
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Obama to Immigration Agents: Ask Illegal Immigrants If They Qualify for Executive Amnesty
There’s been a shocking turn in the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. “The Obama administration has ordered immigration agents to ask immigrants they encounter living in the country illegally whether they might qualify under President Barack Obama’s” executive amnesty, reported the Associated Press Wednesday. Reporter Alicia Caldwell wrote that these new policies “mark an unusual…David Inserra -
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Boehner Finalizing Plans to Pursue Legal Action Against Obama on Immigration
House Speaker John Boehner told Republicans in a closed-door meeting today that he is moving towards a plan to authorize legal action against the White House over President Obama’s executive actions on immigration. According to a source who attended the meeting, Boehner, R-Ohio, told lawmakers that the House will pursue a legal course that “gives…Josh Siegel -
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Congress Seeks to Improve Global Anti-Trafficking Efforts
As National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month comes to a close, Congress is turning its attention to combatting human trafficking. New estimates suggest that as many as 35.8 million people are victims of human trafficking. Renewed attention on this international crisis is necessary if the U.S. is to continue to lead global anti-trafficking efforts….Olivia Enos -
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House Conservatives Pressure Senate Counterparts to ‘Start Fighting’ Obama’s Immigration Policies
Conservatives in the House of Representatives issued a stern message to their Senate counterparts today and emboldened them to “start fighting” and pass legislation that rolls back President Obama’s immigration policies. “It’s high time that Ted Cruz and Mike Lee and others decide that they’re going to start fighting, using the procedural rules in the…Melissa Quinn -
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These Are the People Who Can Benefit From Obama’s Immigration Actions
Who are the 11.4 million immigrants living in the United States illegally? Last week, the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute released data profiles that provide an answer. The study focused on immigrants who stand to benefit from President Obama’s recent executive actions, which defer deportation for up to 5.2 million illegal immigrants and grant them work…Josh Siegel -
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House-Passed Immigration Plan Gets Bitter Response at GOP’s Hershey Retreat
HERSHEY, Pa. — Just one day after the House of Representatives passed legislation rolling back several of President Obama’s immigration policies, GOP lawmakers from both chambers of Congress are expressing skepticism about whether the bill will win approval in the Senate. “We want to give our members an opportunity to vote and express their opposition…Melissa Quinn -
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House Votes to Undo 4 Years of Obama’s Immigration Policies
The GOP-led House voted today to undo major portions of President Obama’s immigration policy, including his recent executive actions and an earlier program that allowed immigrants who entered the country illegally as children—a group known as Dreamers—to stay. In voting 236-191 to pass a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security through the end of…Josh Siegel -
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Mike Lee: ‘Some’ Senate Democrats Would Support Defund of Obama’s Immigration Action
An outspoken conservative senator said today that he expects “some” Democrats to join him in supporting an expansive plan by the House of Representatives to block President Obama’s executive actions on immigration. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, would not speculate if Republicans could count on enough Democrats to ultimately pass legislation in the Senate defunding Obama’s…Josh Siegel