Barrasso Slams Democrats’ List of 23 Demands

"Democrats want to abolish ICE. They want to abolish borders. And they want to turn America into a sanctuary country. If Democrats had their way, removing illegal immigrants from our communities would become nearly impossible."

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, today blasted Democrats' new list of radical demands. This list of 23 demands is designed to protect illegal immigrant criminals. Senator Barrasso highlighted how changing the rules on immigration enforcement warrants would transform America into a sanctuary country.

Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso's remarks.

Sen. Barrasso's remarks:

"Last night, the Minority Leader came out with a new list of demands designed to protect illegal immigrant criminals. We just heard him speak about it on the Floor just a few minutes ago. The Minority Leader has said that he has 10 demands. Last week he had 3, now he says he has 10. I read the fine print. It looks to me that this ballooning list is now up to 23 demands.

"The Minority Leader just said, 'Republicans are calling the demands political.' Well, I see them as radical and extreme. This is about funding the Department of Homeland Security for our nation - keeping our nation safe. The Minority Leader said, 'Republicans can't explain why their demands are extreme.' Well, I'll tell you why they're extreme. Because they prioritize the safety of illegal immigrant criminals over the safety and security of the American people. I would think a majority of Americans would see that as extreme and dangerous.

"Now, the Minority Leader might think that he has leverage to defund law enforcement. He is wrong. Border Patrol is funded. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is funded. To me, what is reckless here from this far-left wish list is it's closing the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Coast Guard working without pay. TSA agents working without pay. Making our nation more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Those are all things that are funded by the Department of Homeland Security.

"Let me talk about one of Democrats' radical demands. It is the demand to change the rules regarding immigration enforcement warrants. When Democrats say, 'improving warrant procedures and standards,' it sounds nice. You'll hear Democrats use that phrase a lot. What Democrats won't tell you is that the only people who benefit are criminals.

"Here's what this Democrat demand actually does. I'll tell you because Senator Schumer refuses to. It ends immigration enforcement. If Immigration and Customs Enforcement is forced to use judicial warrants for each and every immigration arrest, America will become a sanctuary country. That is the Democrats' destructive goal. Democrats want to abolish ICE. They want to abolish borders. And they want to turn America into a sanctuary country. If Democrats had their way, removing illegal immigrants from our communities would become nearly impossible.

"Today, more than one million illegal immigrants have a final court order of removal. Democrats want every single one of them to stay in our communities all across the country forever. If you have a final removal order, you have already gone before an immigration judge. You presented your case. You received due process. You exhausted every possible appeal. After a fair and thorough process, a judge affirmed you may not stay in America any longer. It is time for you to go. It's the law.

"Federal immigration officials have used administrative warrants for decades. Federal law provides for them. The Supreme Court upheld their constitutionality in 1960. That was 65 years ago. Federal circuit courts have reaffirmed their use

in the decades since. Senate Democrats want to overturn long-term constitutional precedent. Why? Because Democrats seek to dismantle immigration enforcement completely. This Democrat demand is not a minor adjustment.

"If Democrats have their way, it would lead to fewer arrests and fewer removals. It would lead to more illegal immigrant criminals released onto the streets, in our communities, and into our neighborhoods. The Senate should be clear-eyed about Democrats' goals and the dangerous consequences of the demands that are being made by Senator Schumer and the Democrats.

"Joe Biden and the Democrats spent four years ignoring our nation's immigration laws. They are the party of wide-open borders. They brought back catch-and-release, abused parole powers, and demonized law enforcement. As a result, 10 million illegal immigrants flooded into our country. Our communities became less safe because Democrats refused to enforce the law.

"In Georgia, Laken Riley - a 22-year-old nursing student - was murdered by an illegal immigrant. Her killer crossed into our country illegally in 2022. The Biden administration released him into our country instead of removing him. Before he killed Laken Riley, he was arrested in New York City for child endangerment. Despite his crime, he was released because New York City is a sanctuary city. And now the Governor wants to make it a sanctuary state. Had her killer been in custody, Laken Riley would still be alive today. She would have finished her nursing training and would be taking care of patients in her community.

"In North Carolina, two teenagers were killed by an illegal immigrant in a deadly car crash. Their killer was driving drunk. His criminal record before the incident was lengthy. Yet before the crash, his other charges were dismissed by sanctuary cities. North Carolina's legislature passed multiple bills that require local police to get illegal immigrant criminals off the streets. North Carolina's pro-crime Democrat Governor named Roy Cooper vetoed them all. Three vetoes! Governor Cooper allowed illegal immigrant criminals to roam freely. Because of Governor Cooper's reckless vetoes, parents had to bury their teenage children.

"Tragedies like this remind us that we all pay the price when liberal politicians favor illegal immigrant criminals over the safety of American citizens. This is exactly why Republicans passed the Laken Riley Act. Because of that law, the Department of Homeland Security has detained an additional 20,000 illegal immigrants who otherwise would have been released back into our communities.

"When it comes to public safety, Democrats continue to fail the American people. Senate Republicans will not accept changes that make our communities less safe. Republicans will continue to stand on the side of safer and more secure communities."

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