Congresswoman Tenney Votes “No” on Amnesty Bill

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) released the following statement after opposing H.R. 6, the American Dream and Promise Act. This bill would provide an expedited path to citizenship for over 2 million individuals, including illegal immigrants who have been removed from the country as well as violent criminals and immigrants who currently live in the United States illegally. 

“With each day that passes, our border crisis is growing worse. Illegal border crossings have surged 170 percent because of the Biden Administration’s decision to play politics with immigration policy and border security. H.R. 6 is a partisan bill that would exacerbate the existing crisis by failing to offer reforms that actually disincentivize illegal immigration,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “I have consistently said that Congress should come together to negotiate a bipartisan and compassionate solution to our immigration crisis that provides dignity, strengthens border security, reforms the broken asylum process, and actually disincentivizes illegal immigration. Instead, Speaker Pelosi brought this bill to the floor without a single committee hearing on it. An issue as important as this deserves meaningful discussion. Mass amnesty for those who violated our laws and federal financial aid and in-state tuition for illegal immigrants aren’t the answers, and they won’t solve the problem. Unfortunately, that’s what yesterday’s bill does.” 

Background on H.R. 6

• Provides a green card, different from a temporary work visa, and a special path to citizenship for any illegal immigrant who has been in the United States since January 1, 2021; was under 19 years old on the date of entry; resided in the U.S. since entry; and has met certain education requirements. For example, any alien who was removed or left the country after January 20, 2017, is now able to apply for green cards from outside the U.S.
• There are an estimated 2.5 million illegal immigrants already in the United States 
• The Congressional Budget Office estimates the legislation will cost taxpayers more than $34.6 billion over ten years
• Allows criminals to receive green cards, including gang members, those with multiple DUI convictions, and aliens with misdemeanor firearms-related convictions
• Does nothing to address existing policies that incentivize illegal entry into the United States
• Creates a taxpayer-funded grant program to help illegal aliens apply for their green cards
• Allows illegal immigrants to receive federal financial aid and gain easier access to in-state tuition

Border Crisis by the Numbers

• Before Biden’s inauguration, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered less than 1,000 family units per week. Now, they are seeing 6,000 per week
• CBP reports the number of migrants at the border in February of 2021 climbed to 100,441, a 170% increase over February 2020
• CBP now encounters on average more than 3,000 migrants at the border a day
• CBP is projecting a peak of 13,000 unaccompanied children crossing the border per month by May
• Single adult apprehensions at the border reached 71,000 in February

Tenney has raised concerns about the ongoing border crisis and the policies that have contributed to the influx of migrants at the southern border. She has called on the Biden Administration to reverse its policies that have weakened our border security.

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