In June, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and State Department advised that they will no longer bar individuals who provided “insignificant material support” or “limited material support” to terrorist organizations from immigrating to the United States.
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) joined nine other senators in a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Secretary of State Antony Blinken seeking answers on the department’s new policy.
NEW: The Biden Admin’s June determination giving itself sweeping discretion to allow foreign nationals who’ve supported terrorist groups to immigrate to the US is a serious concern. My colleagues & I are demanding the explanation Americans deserve from @SecMayorkas & @SecBlinken. pic.twitter.com/QbTgdlUhuJ
— Senator Bill Hagerty (@SenatorHagerty) August 23, 2022
“We write because the American people deserve an explanation regarding the broad, open-ended nature of this authority for exempting individuals who would otherwise be barred from immigration to the United States for supporting a terrorist organization,” Tuberville and his colleagues wrote.
The senators argue that the departments’ determination poses a significant threat to national security.
“[T]he June 8 Determination broadly permits the admission of foreign individuals who provided material support to terrorist organizations that the Biden Administration deems insignificant or limited,” the senators argue. “This could include, for example, current or former members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and IRGC-linked entities, which are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of U.S. service members in Iraq and Afghanistan. It could include individuals seeking asylum at the southern border.”
The letter’s authors also feel the timing of this new decision is suspect and seems to be related to the chaotic military withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“The timing of the June 8 Determination,” the letter continues, “nearly a year after the Administration’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, also raises questions. If its intent is to ensure that Afghan refugees are able to gain asylum in the United States, there is no explanation regarding why this decision was not made months ago with prudent restrictions limiting its application to Afghan refugees.”
Joining Tuberville in the letter were U.S. Sens. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont).
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” Weekdays 9-11am on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee
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