The Mississippi Senator said legislation would begin to restore order by making sure there are serious consequences for abusing the asylum process.
This week, U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) cosponsored the Asylum Accountability Act (S.4636). The legislation would permanently bar illegal immigrants who fail to appear in immigration court from benefitting from the Immigration and Nationality Act, the law that governs immigration and citizenship in the United States.
According to a release form Senator Hyde-Smith’s office, S.4636 would significantly sharpen the penalty for illegal immigrants who enter the country illegally with a belief they can apply for asylum, abscond from their court hearings, and live consequence free in the United States.
Hyde-Smith said that the virtual “free-for-all at the border” is the result of Biden administration policies that give the world the impression that our borders are wide open.
“Many illegal border crossers have learned to game the asylum process, which makes a mockery of the legal immigration system,” Hyde-Smith added. “Senator Tillis’ legislation would begin to restore order by making sure there are serious consequences for abusing the asylum process.”
U.S. Senator Thom Tillis authored the Asylum Accountability Act.
“Illegal immigrants are abusing current asylum law, living in the country for years before having to appear in immigration court, and then failing to show up,” Senator Tillis said. “The Biden administration’s failed policies have caused the unprecedented crisis at the southern border, and it’s only getting worse. This legislation cracks down on any illegal immigrant who tries to skirt the law and implements a commonsense bar on obtaining benefits for anyone who fails to show up for their court hearing. This policy is long overdue and it is time we regain control of our border.”
U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Bill Haggerty (R-Tenn.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) are also original cosponsors of the Asylum Accountability Act.
“Under the Biden Administration, there are absolutely no repercussions for illegally crossing the southern border,” Senator Cramer said. “In addition to Biden’s open border policies, illegal immigrants are taking advantage of the asylum system and skipping their court hearings to permanently stay in the U.S. The Asylum Accountability Act creates a deterrent to this situation by permanently barring immigrants who skip court hearings from asylum or citizenship.”
Senator Hagerty said that he is pleased to join his colleagues in proposing the rule that, if you don’t show up for your immigration hearings, you can’t later take advantage of the same immigration system.
“President Biden’s refusal to enforce our immigration laws and support for radical, far-left immigration policies has emboldened lawlessness from day one,” Senator Hagerty said. “Record-breaking illegal immigration will not stop until the Biden Administration stops rewarding it.”
You can read a full copy of the Asylum Accountability Act (S.4636) below.
Asylum Accountability Act (S.4636) by yallpolitics on Scribd
Anne Summerhays
