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The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security hosted a hearing Tuesday morning titled, “Does Administrative Amnesty Harm our Efforts to Gain and Maintain Operational Control of the Border?” While Members stuck mostly to their traditional talking points, the hearing did shed some light on Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith's HALT Act, which out prohibit the Administration from offering an Administrative Amnesty. Democrats on the Subcommittee discussed the costs associated with deportations, while Republicans questioned DHS officials on the logic of allowing illegal aliens in custody go free.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hosted a hearing Wednesday morning titled “Securing the Border: Progress at the Federal Level” with DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano as the witness. While much of the focus was on visa overstays and the definition of "operational control" of the border, Sen. John McCain stole the show with his line of questioning about spotters.

Last week marked the end of the first quarter of the 112th Congress. With more than 100 new Members of the House and Senate, the 112th Congress opened for business with the largest Freshman class in 60 years. While this Congress was destined for some tough fights considering a sizable Republican majority in the House, a Democrat-controlled Senate, and a President not prone to compromise, the best word to describe the first quarter of this Congress is: slow.

The House Immigration Subcommittee convened on Thursday to discuss the impact of illegal aliens in the workforce on vulnerable Americans.The hearing didn't get much attention, but it discussed a serious topic, including the comments made by Greg Serbon - a union worker who discussed the disconnect between the pro-illegal-alien union leaders and the pro-enforcement union members. While dissenters threw out unrealistic, hypothetical solutions, Serbon directed his focus an attrition through enforcement solution.