CASTRO, KEATING LEAD LEGISLATION CALLING FOR TRANSPARENCY ON TRUMP ADMIN’S DEPORTATION POLICY

CASTRO, KEATING LEAD LEGISLATION CALLING FOR TRANSPARENCY ON TRUMP ADMIN'S DEPORTATION POLICY

Washington, D.C. - Today, Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere Ranking Member Joaquin Castro (D-TX) and Subcommittee on Europe Ranking Member Bill Keating (D-MA) introduced legislation to require the Trump administration to disclose all agreements regarding the deportation of third-country nationals to Congress. The Trump administration's agreements with foreign countries to deport third-country nationals are both opaque and inhumane. Congress, in its oversight role, must do all it can to ensure these agreements are reported to the public and that no American citizens are subject to illegal deportation because of a mistake.

"The Trump Administration's third-country deportation scheme is inhumane and senseless," said Ranking Member Castro. "Children and families who came to the United States to seek asylum are having their rights violated and are being sent to countries they have never been and know no one. This legislation requires the administration to provide transparency on its agreements with foreign countries so that Congress can better protect vulnerable people from reckless third-country deportation. I thank Ranking Member Keating for co-leading this effort and urge the House to swiftly take it up for a vote."

"The Trump administration's reckless deportation of third-country nationals has been a stain on our country's reputation. As has been reported, numerous Americans including children have been caught up and deported as part of this effort. Simply put, this is wrong, and it is inhumane," said Ranking Member Keating. "This legislation would require the Department of State to transmit all third-country national agreements to Congress so the Trump administration can no longer hide these actions behind bureaucratic walls and inflammatory rhetoric. I thank Ranking Member Castro for his personal leadership on this issue and for co-leading the legislation."

This legislation would:

• Require the Trump administration to disclose all agreements with foreign countries regardless of the form of that agreement to deport third country nationals, and
• Update the timelines on mandated Government Accountability Office audits of the Department of State's compliance with reporting requirements required under the Case-Zablocki Act.

Read the full bill text here.