A significant number of folks in the First District are understandably concerned about the Obama Administration’s current immigration policies and the influx of unaccompanied illegal children crossing our southwestern borders near the Rio Grande Valley. Like you, I have grave concerns about the implications this will have on our national security, as well as our public health and safety.
It is clear that this Administration’s policies have led to the crisis currently happening along our southwestern border, and I believe action is absolutely necessary to secure our border. Securing our borders must be the immediate priority for Congress, and please know that I will continue to fight to do so.
I am also concerned for the safety and welfare of these children, who are being housed in a system that is ill-equipped to handle them, with multiple agencies and departments essentially sharing responsibility. After an arduous and extremely dangerous journey, nobody wants these children to suffer for extended periods of time in massive detention facilities. I believe strongly that the most direct and humane effort we can pursue with these unaccompanied alien children is to quickly get them back to their families in their country of origin.
Recent Actions:
Sent a letter in July of 2014 to the President, urging him to cease his continuous circumvention of Congress and his unwillingness to uphold our current immigration laws, and to make securing our border a priority. The letter also called on him to end an immigration program he created without congressional support in 2012 that has contributed to an increased surge in attempted illegal entry to the United States. The joint letter to President Obama can be found here.
Held a briefing in July of 2014 in the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee to seek answers surrounding the Department of Defense’s agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services to house a number of unaccompanied and undocumented alien children at DoD installations. More information can be found here.
News Coverage:
Rob Wittman Discusses Unaccompanied Alien Minors in Prince William County (105.9 WMAL)
Congressman On HHS Surprising States With Children: ‘There Is A Total Lack Of Communication’ (The Daily Caller)
Wittman decries the undocumented (Fauquier Friday)
33 House Republicans to Obama: End Deportation Stays for ‘Dreamers’ (Roll Call)
