Sen. Ted Cruz announced a new bill Monday to stop family separations at the border, calling for a massive infusion of money and manpower to solve the problem without going back to the days of catch-and-release.
The Texan is the latest Republican to say he is appalled by the images from the border showing befuddled children being taken from their parents, who are being carried off to jail for having jumped the border illegally.
Mr. Cruz, though, said he rejected Democrats’ answer of releasing the illegal immigrant families, saying that would create a loophole more migrants would try to exploit by arriving as families.
Instead, he called for fast hearings, quick asylum for those who qualify and speedy deportations for those who don’t qualify. And he said families should to be kept in detention — together — until that happens.
“While these cases are pending, families should stay together. Children belong with their mothers and fathers,” he said. “Once their cases have been adjudicated – under my legislation, in no longer than 14 days – those who meet the legal standard should be granted asylum and those who don’t should be immediately returned to their home country.”
His legislation marks a GOP alternative to a bill written by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat. Her bill would ban most family separations as a matter of policy, but does not increase the government’s ability to hold illegal immigrants, nor does it change existing court settlements that require children to be quickly released from custody — the “loophole” that Republicans blame for spurring the new wave of illegal immigration.
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• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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