Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after circulating a letter among House colleagues for signature that is addressed to President Obama and other related agency heads demanding the immediate termination of the recently announced Central American Minors (CAM) Refugee/Parole Program:
“It is outrageous that the Obama Administration would secretly administer a new amnesty program that sends empty planes to Central America for the purposes of flying illegal immigrants into the U.S. The rollout, implementation and secrecy of this unauthorized program that will provide cash assistance, medical benefits and one-way flights to illegal immigrants from Central America to the U.S. are deeply troubling. Even more shocking, media reports indicate that parolees participating in the program could include felons and immigrants that were previously deported, and that the CAM program's costs are unknown to U.S. taxpayers and agency officials.
“This administration has made a mockery of our immigration system by operating secret amnesty programs behind closed doors that have not been authorized by Congress. It is the responsibility of Congress to make our immigration laws and authorize programs, not this ideologically driven, lawless administration.
“Given our current national security threats and border crises, it is inexcusable that the administration would implement a new amnesty program that will incentivize further illegal immigration. As long as I am a member of Congress, I will never stand for the unconstitutional actions of this administration and will do everything in my power to permanently end any attempts to undermine the rule of law. I call on President Obama and his administration to immediately terminate CAM, and if they do not, then Congress must use the power of the purse to defund this amnesty flight program.”
Background
Since December 1st, 2014, the Obama Administration has been operating a secret amnesty program that will fly illegal immigrants from Central American Countries to the U.S. The new Central American Minors (CAM) Refugee/Parole Program will provide cash, loans, help with travel and medical assistance to refugees participating in the program. Media reports further indicate that parolees participating in the program could include felons and immigrants that were previously deported. A March 31 invite-only conference call was the first opportunity to learn about this new program. Unfortunately, “only ‘friendly’ groups and individuals invited by the government were allowed to participate and the event was not open to the media.”
The CAM program will offer U.S. based parents with children under the age of 21 living in the Central American countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, the option to apply and bring their children to the United States free of charge.
Eligible parents are required to be at least 18 years old and be residing in the U.S. as a result of one of the following categories: Permanent Resident Status, or Temporary Protected Status, or Parolee, or Deferred Action, or Deferred Enforced departure or Withholding of Removal. Many of these parents are allowed to be in the U.S. as a direct result of President Obama’s previous executive amnesty policies.
Under the CAM program, applicants for parole are required to pay for their “travel arrangements and costs” as well as their “medical clearances and costs.” However, individuals that receive the more highly sought refugee status will receive cash assistance, loans as well as free travel and medical assistance.
Furthermore, the refugee process also allows for parents, spouses, same-sex partners who are not married and other family members to potentially come to the United States.
The State Department assured those on the [March 31st] conference call that applicants [will no longer] need to document a credible fear to qualify for the program because “we want to make sure this program is open to as many people as possible.”
The draft of Congressman Gosar’s letter addressed to President Obama, Secretary of State Kerry, Secretary of Homeland Security Johnson, Acting Director of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Director of Citizenship and Immigration Services can be found HERE.
The memo to the invite-only teleconference briefing on this program that was held by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), in coordination with the U.S. Department of State (DOS), on Tuesday, March 31, 2015, can be found HERE.
According to this invitation, the CAM program began accepting applications from qualifying parents in on December 1, 2014.
