Homeland Security Chief Stresses Families in Immigration

Wall Street Journal

By Sarah Portlock

April 27, 2014

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/04/27/homeland-security-chief-stresses-families-in-immigration/

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on Sunday emphasized the importance of keeping families together as his agency conducts a review of policies that immigration advocates say are tearing families apart.

Last month, President Barack Obama directed Mr. Johnson to review the policy to see if it could be conducted in a more “humane” way.

On Sunday, Mr. Johnson expanded on that definition, saying immigration law needs to comport with American values.

“And one of those American values is respect for human dignity,” Mr. Johnson said on ABC News’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.” “I also believe one of those American values is respect for the sanctity of the family unit.”

The administration has set a record for total deportations, and immigrant advocates have complained that the current policy is separating family members who have ties to their communities and pose no danger.

Critics say any loosening would be a mistake and that no one would leave without the threat of deportation.

Speaker John Boehner has said he is “hellbent” on addressing immigration reform despite reluctance from many Republicans to tackle the issue in an election year.

Among the questions said to be under review is whether people without serious criminal records should continue to be removed from the U.S. That group accounted for a small slice of illegal immigrants who are settled in the U.S. but have minor or no criminal records but get snagged by law enforcement.

On Thursday, nearly two dozen Republican senators sent a letter to Mr. Obama to express “grave concerns” with the policy review. They fear the changes will wrongly weaken immigration enforcement. The senators said that the administration’s policies, which prioritize criminals, recent border crossers and others for deportation, already undermine federal law.

Mr. Johnson, on Sunday, said he “doesn’t understand” people who say the administration is not enforcing the law, and that Congress needs to pass immigration reform legislation.

“We are enforcing the law every day,” Mr. Johnson said. “None of what I can do, however, is a substitute for action by Congress.  We have an immigration system in this country that is not working.  Comprehensive immigration reform would fix it.”

The Senate passed a sweeping immigration bill last summer, but the issue has stalled in the House. Some Republicans oppose it, saying it is wrong to reward people who broke the law with legal status and that more legal visas would hurt American workers. The GOP also fears the divisive debate would hurt the party’s chances in the November midterm elections.

“This is something we need to do,” Mr. Johnson said. “I’m confident that it will happen.”

Most have assumed that immigration will not advance this year in the House, but recent comments from Mr. Boehner suggest he will try. He got some backup when Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), who chairs the House Republican Conference, said the House is prepared to move forward with guidelines for immigration reform and could have a deal before the election, according to the Spokesman-Review.

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