We need to tighten up loopholes in our asylum laws

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As President Trump has stated, we face a national emergency at our southern border. We are witnessing a pattern where aliens are taking advantage of our asylum system in order to gain entry to the United States. One factor contributing to the abuse are the loopholes surrounding employment authorization for non-citizens.

This continuing crisis threatens the integrity of our immigration system and undermines our sovereignty as a nation. Nevertheless, advocates for eliminating borders have sown hysteria as they work to create public misunderstanding surrounding our immigration laws, namely the eligibility criteria for asylum.

This advocacy has disrupted and distorted what should be a rational, nationwide conversation over this nation’s immigration policy. But until Congress changes the rules, its current rules should be enforced as written. An administration that adheres to duly enacted immigration laws may be a novel concept, but it should not be controversial.

Under the rules set by Congress, to qualify for asylum, an illegal immigrant must demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution based on at least one of five protected grounds: race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

Fleeing general violence and crime in one’s home country does not qualify an illegal alien for asylum in the United States, nor does fleeing poverty to seek improved economic opportunities.

Despite knowing that many of these illegal immigrants likely do not qualify for asylum smugglers continue to line their pockets with exorbitant fee — sometimes in the tens of thousands of dollars — to smuggle humans on a perilous journey to the United States. They often coaching them along the way for the credible fear screening they will have upon arrival.

Tellingly, many illegal aliens who pass the credible fear screening never actually apply for asylum once they enter the United States. This criminal enterprise takes advantage of and endangers many individuals and undermines the legitimacy of our generous system of humanitarian protection.

Earlier this year, President Trump directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to take action to restore integrity to our asylum system.

Read the rest from Ken Cuccinelli HERE.

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