(June 4, 2019, Washington, D.C.) —The following statement was issued by Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), in response to today’s House passage of H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2019:

“Amidst a full-blown border and illegal immigration crisis, House Democrats have demonstrated where their priorities lie: Making sure that people who break our immigration laws – including some with criminal records – are rewarded.

“As illegal aliens pour across our southern border at a rate of more than a hundred thousand a month due to loopholes in our asylum system that ensure catch and release, the House’s first major action on immigration this year is a massive amnesty for the illegal aliens already here.

“While Americans are justifiably alarmed at the crisis at the border – the exploitation of our humanitarian policies, and the wholesale release of newly-arrived illegal aliens in communities all across the United States – House Democrats have sent an unmistakable signal that they will do nothing to protect the interests or the safety of the American people.

“Even worse, House Democrats – including so-called moderates – rejected a Republican Motion to Recommit that would have ensured gang members do not receive amnesty. Under the bill that passed, gang members, illegal aliens who committed serious crimes as juveniles, and those with multiple DUI convictions or misdemeanor firearm convictions, are still eligible. To them, mass amnesty is the top priority over public safety.

“After House Democrats just degraded the rule of law, Senate Republicans must now show conviction and hold firm for the American people. Their only focus should be on stopping the crisis at the border. We’ll be watching.”

Contact: Matthew Tragesser, 202-328-7004