A Republican immigration plan advances in Congress: these are its key measures

The Republican proposal to stop the arrival of immigrants and strengthen border security achieved the approval of the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives on Wednesday after weeks of negotiations behind closed doors, reports the Politico news website.

The measure, promoted by the Republican majority in the House and which would face a probable blockade in the Senate (controlled by the Democrats), would make it more difficult for asylum applications and would make it easier for the Government to immediately expel migrants from the border.

However, it could fail before it is even approved by the House because moderate Republican representatives have already expressed their opposition to a plan that they perceive as too radical.

It is also accompanied by an attempt to impeach the Secretary of National Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, an unprecedented action that does not seem to have a consensus either.

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Migrants detained by Border Patrol after crossing into New Mexico, on March 23, 2023. JOSE LUIS GONZALEZ / REUTERS

These are the most important points of the immigration plan:

• It would make it difficult for migrants to prove in the initial interview with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers that they are fleeing political, racial or religious persecution.

• It would restrict the ability of federal officials to release asylum seekers on US soil.

• It would impose a $50 fee for adults to apply for asylum and restrict such applications to ports of entry.

• It would expand the requirements for employers, particularly in the agricultural industry, to verify the immigration status of their employees through the federal program called E-verify.

• He would try to implement the so-called 'safe third country' policy, whereby migrants can be denied asylum if they have not previously sought such protection in a country they have passed through before, such as Mexico.

  The Mexican authorities have repeatedly opposed signing a treaty to become a safe third country, although they have accepted the return to Mexico of migrants from Central America, Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela.

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The House Homeland Security Committee is working on another immigration bill, according to Tony Gonzales, Republican of Texas.

It could be approved next week, and then the Rules Committee would merge that plan with that of the Judiciary Committee, according to Politico.

These are the measures that the Homeland Security Committee's proposal could include, according to The Associated Press news agency:

• The designation of drug cartels as terrorist organizations.

• Increased jail terms for fentanyl traffickers.

• And a salary increase for border agents.

An uphill political battle

The bill approved by the Judiciary Committee has been met with skepticism by both Democrats and some moderate Republicans. "I am confident that the leadership will not bring anything to a floor vote that does not have enough votes to pass." said Gonzales, one of the most critical of the bill approved by the Judiciary Committee.

"Regardless of how long it takes, that is desirable," he concluded.

Jerry Nadler, a New York Democratic representative and his party's ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, dismissed the possibility of the bill becoming law: "Most of its provisions don't even get a chance to go before the House. because of the opposition of the Republicans," he argued.

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The Republican Party has 222 seats against 213 Democrats.

Republicans blame President Joe Biden for the surge in migrant arrivals during his Administration, and have portrayed the situation at the border as dangerous for both migrants and local communities.

His proposal also coincides with the end of Title 42, scheduled for May, and which may increase the arrival of asylum seekers by ceasing the policy established by former President Donald Trump in 2020 to return migrants immediately hiding behind the health emergency of the coronavirus

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas and a member of the Freedom Caucus, which has pushed for strong-arm border measures, said the proposal "reflects where we all want to go, which is law enforcement." United States to people who do not have a legitimate claim to asylum," he said.

Democratic Senator Bob Menéndez presents an immigration plan and criticizes the Biden Government

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Other immigration proposals

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-NJ, has also pushed his own immigration reform plan, which does not enjoy the support of Republicans.

That proposal would create new pathways to citizenship, boost humanitarian aid to counties, increase funding for border security and expand efforts to go after human smugglers.

And Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, have unveiled another plan calling for $25 billion to bolster border security, which would include increased salaries for security agents. Border Patrol and more personnel and resources.