The Departments of State and Homeland Security issued visa sanctions against Ghana due to its “lack of cooperation” in repatriating their nationals who were ordered removed from the US. The order will restrict certain categories of visa applicants until “cooperation on removals has improved to an acceptable level.”
The House and Senate convened the 116th Congress today without any compromise in sight for funding the remaining federal agencies. President Trump invited congressional leadership to a border security briefing at the White House Wednesday but the meeting broke without an agreement. The president invited leaders to meet again on Friday but it is uncertain whether the meeting will take place.
Using what has been described as “strong-arm tactics,” Japan’s ruling Liberal Democrat Party pushed legislation through the Diet (Japanese parliament) early last month to expand the nation’s guest worker program. 55 percent opposed the law but that apparently did not bother the ruling Party. It rammed the bill through the Diet rather build broad public consensus on the need for change. That’s not unlike how the ruling elites in the United States have pushed through guest worker programs that are detrimental to American workers.
In a series of tweets today, President Trump said he would "close the Southern Border entirely" if Democrats do not agree to fund the wall and to change the nation’s “ridiculous” asylum laws. The threats come on the seventh day of a partial government shutdown. At this point no votes are expected until Trump and Democratic leaders reach a funding deal.
In the wake of the death of a second migrant child in federal detention, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen blamed smugglers, traffickers, and migrant parents for pushing border security systems to the “breaking point.” She cited several “draw factors” that caused the recent surge, including an asylum process that encourages fraudulent claims and rewards parents for sending or bringing their children across the border.
CBS’ El Paso, Texas affiliate reports ICE released about 400 alien parents and children in the two days before Christmas and another 186 on Christmas day. Most were dropped off near the local Greyhound bus station and eventually assisted by local charities. More are expected to be released today.
President Trump’s 1/27/17 executive order directed the Departments of State and Homeland Security to force “recalcitrant” countries to accept the repatriation of their citizens, most of whom committed criminal acts in the United States. Reports indicate the Administration is making headway since the number of recalcitrant countries is down and more criminal aliens are being deported.
ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division greatly expanded criminal investigations, business audits and arrests in fiscal year 2018. HSI conducted 6,848 worksite investigations compared to 1,691 in FY17, initiated 5,981 I-9 audits compared to 1,360; and made 779 criminal and 1,525 administrative arrests compared to 139 and 172.
Thanks to the feckless Republican leadership, President Trump is unlikely to get funding for his border “wall” or legislative solutions for the Southwest border crisis before the new Congress. Democrats are now firmly against even a bad deal like a DACA amnesty/wall funding trade. He will either have to veto the next continuing resolution, hoping the Democrats will change their mind, or rethink how he can win against a Democrat-controlled House and filibuster-limited Senate. Since a pre-Christmas shutdown is likely to produce only animosity, President Trump should think about re-branding his "wall" to increase public support for a broader solution next year.
More than 400 migrants surrendered to Customs and Border Protection agents Monday in an open area in between two-tier fencing near El Paso, Texas. Border Patrol spokesman Joe Romero said the migrants are part of a caravan seeking asylum in the U.S. Meanwhile in San Diego, California at least two dozen caravan migrants were apprehended after climbing a border fence near the Pacific Ocean.