Central South Dakota News

Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.), along with several colleagues, have sent a letter to President Joe Biden expressing concerns regarding his Executive Order offering amnesty to undocumented immigrants married to American citizens. The order, announced earlier this month, would allow these individuals who have lived in the U.S. for 10 or more years to remain and receive lawful permanent resident visas. It is estimated that over 500,000 undocumented spouses and nearly 50,000 children would be eligible.

“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,” wrote the senators. “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.”

“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,” concluded the senators.

Rounds and Lankford were joined by Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Kennedy (R-La.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).

The full text of their letter reads:

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 a clear reading of the law. Due to reckless policies, your Administration has encountered more illegal aliens at the southern border than both Obama’s administration and Trump’s administration combined. DHS recently promulgated regulations that appear to tighten the border but implementing policy guidance shows what all Americans know—the border remains wide open.

Since day one of your Administration, you have rolled back measures that would have secured our border including Remain in Mexico program, asylum cooperative agreements, and ICE enforcement priorities preventing deportation for most illegal immigrants. These actions invited chaos at our borders.

Numerous inspector general reports, Government Accountability Office reports, and news reports show DHS overwhelmed by an inability to vet illegal immigrants crossing our borders effectively. CBP encountered nearly 180,000 illegal immigrants at borders in April 2024—a record had it not been for previous records set by your administration earlier this fiscal year.

ICE recently arrested eight illegal aliens with known ties to ISIS-K; news reports indicate ICE personnel prepared for more arrests involving ISIS affiliates due overwhelming volume impacting DHS's ability vet each individual custody effectively.

This week’s action doubles down on message America will not enforce law southern borders.

Border security is national security; adversaries continue taking advantage chaos created announcing policy urging immediate rescission focusing efforts securing borders against cartels welcoming chaos.