Goodlatte: Time to end ‘catch-and-release’ for illegals surging border

Washington Times ^ | July 3, 2014 | Stephen Dinan

[blueplum]

A top Republican who spent the past two days investigating the border surge of illegal immigrants from Central America said Thursday that most of them are trying to reunite with relatives who are already living illegally in the U.S., and the best way to stop the surge is to speed up the threat of deportations.

Virginia Rep. Robert W. Goodlatte, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said that after speaking with immigration agents who are on the front lines intercepting and processing the families and unaccompanied children, it’s clear illegal immigrants don’t believe there are any consequences for jumping the border.

“The Border Patrol agents that we spoke to were pretty consistent in saying they think the best way to stop this crisis is through deterrence. They were very clear that deterrence must be the focus and there must be an end to the so-called catch-and-release policy,” Mr. Goodlatte said.

Catch-and-release is the name agents have given to the policy involving illegal immigrants from non-Mexican countries who are caught at the border. Those immigrants cannot immediately be returned to their home countries, and because there isn’t enough space in detention facilities to hold them, most are released with a summons to appear later in immigration court — a summons many of them ignore.

With Congress on a week-long break...

[blueplum]

There is a diplomatic problem with repatriating these individuals. Unlike Mexicans, who we can just transport back over the border, under current law, the consulates of non-Mexicans have to issue the repatriated travel papers or passports identifying these individuals before they can be returned to their country. And guess who's dragging their feet about it?

[C210N]

From the US perspective, seems to me any illegal that crosses the US-Mexican border should be made the problem of Mexico. Regardless of their original home in Guatemala, Honduras or Argentina or wherever... if they were visitors to Mexico, they should be returned to Mexico. Let Mexico sort out whether they are Mexican or illegal aliens of Mexico.

[gasport]

Expel their diplomats, cut off all aid & credit, refuse landing of any originating flights.

[Secret Agent Man]

illegals believe there’s no negative consequences b/c our fedgov, us chamber of commerce, liberals, rinos, and rcc church leaders are telling them it’s okay.

i sincerely hope obama rots in hell. truly. he is actively and deliberately destroying the country.

[deport]

catch-and-release policy

*********

They just need to reorient the ‘release’ part of the policy. Make that point somewhere a few hundred miles south of the US Southern border.

[ully2]

No, dump them all in D.C.

[MUDDOG]

Indeed. Only, there’s no one to bell the cat.

[Terry L Smith]

Defend the border, at bayonet point.

No exceptions. They are being discovered to be disease-ridden with illnesses that endanger the American populace.

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

Obviously, Mexico is allowing these Central American illegals to safely travel through Mexican territory.

Someone is paying Mexico off.....and his initials are B.O.

[DisorderOnBorder]

Any nation that refuses to take back their illegals
...you deny entry to all citizens of that nation, and freeze all visa and citizenship requests

That will stop nations from taking back their illegals

[DisorderOnBorder]

Good idea...if they enter from Mexico...return them to Mexico. They are obviously allowing illegals to transit

[bert]

That’s not a problem

Put them on boats and disembark them in Houdouras. Papers are not required.

[grania]

I'm impressed with your solution. If Mexico were stuck with the invaders, they'd stop them from entering Mexico.

Why is such a simple solution insisted on by the DC crowd that supposedly supports our values? Oh yeah, they aren't really on the side of the vast majority of US citizens.

[Seattle Conservative]

Agree. Also, I’ve read posts earlier this year or last year that says Mexico has a very strict border policy, especially on their southern border, so they are obviously not enforcing that policy now. Why not? Perhaps coordination with the Obummer admin? Are their border patrol agents, El Presidente and military afraid of the drug cartels? Or are 1 or all of the foregoing being paid off?

[Seattle Conservative]

Agree. And cut off all aid to those countries. I posted a link to the amounts we were giving them a week or two ago.
But, I’ve recently read that BO wants to give them even more money - - for the children, of course.

[Truth29]

"Obviously, Mexico is allowing these Central American illegals to safely travel through Mexican territory. Someone is paying Mexico off.....and his initials are B.O."

BINGO!!!