Hunter Statement On DHS "Zero Tolerance" Immigration

Statement

Congressman Duncan Hunter (CA-50) issued the following statement regarding recent reports of the "zero tolerance" policy implemented by the Department of Homeland Security as it pertains to illegal border crossings:

"Our nation has laws that are in place and that deserve to be enforced. We owe this to our citizens as well as to our brave men and women enforcing those laws, they need to know they have our support. The amount of individuals with children coming to the border and either entering illegally or presenting themselves at a Port of Entry has increased significantly, more than doubling from previous years. The policy by the prior administration of simply providing a notice to appear and then releasing these individuals into the U.S. for a court date that is three years away is both irresponsible and unsustainable. Additionally, the number of our Border Patrol agents are down, so these agents are trying to handle more with less.

"For clarification, the policies in place now are the same policies that were in existence with prior administrations. Additionally, most individuals seeking asylum are not being separated from their families. People have legal options for gaining entry into our country and there are consequences to breaking those laws. That said, there are changes in our immigration policy that definitely need to be made and when policies are presented that start with building a border wall, then I am willing to work with any of my colleagues, including Democrats, to resolve the ongoing situation as soon as possible. It is my understanding that President Trump will be addressing the House GOP on this matter, I look forward to hearing more on what he has to say about the situation."

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