Political Quotes

“Mr. Chair, my amendment strikes section 224 of the bill, which mandates that ICE prioritize detention before considering any other options, such as alternatives to detention. This mandate is absurd, and for a party claiming to champion fiscal responsibility, it makes no sense to mandate detention, which is the most expensive option available. We know from previous alternatives to detention, like the case management program run by DHS in 2016, that providing case management services for migrant families costs the Department roughly $39 per day. Compare that to the cost of detaining those same families, which is roughly $300 per day. The mandate makes no sense, even on the most practical level. The United States simply does not have the capacity to detain every single asylum seeker who arrives at our Nation's front door, nor should it. Furthermore, section 244 of the bill hamstrings DHS' operational flexibility to effectively manage their resources depending on the Department's needs at a given time. This could cause a ripple effect of management issues for several agencies within DHS, including ICE and CBP, which would further exacerbate the challenges we see in border communities like mine. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.”