Rep. Roy Introduces Bills that Will End Unaccountable Executive Amnesties

Washington, D.C. — Representative Chip Roy (TX-21) introduced two pieces of legislation today H.R. 4201, the "TPS Reform Act", and H.R. 4200, the "End DED Act”. These bills would rein in the executive branch from abusing its authority in shielding illegal aliens from removal, returning immigration authority to Congress. 

Congressman Roy on the TPS Reform Act: "Temporary Protect Status has been used and abused for decades by both Democratic and Republican presidential administrations. In the last four years, the Biden-Harris-Mayorkas administration quadruped the TPS population from 410,400 to 1.5 million in four years, shielding hundreds of thousands of economic illegal aliens from removal while providing them with work permits serving as another pull factor for illegal immigration. No more. The United States cannot, and should not, reward immigration lawbreakers with amnesty through the TPS program. It's time Congress end this abuse by taking away the TPS designation authority from the executive by having members of Congress introduce legislation – and vote on – issuing and terminating TPS designations."

Congressman Roy on the End DED Act: “Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) is a fabrication of the executive branch that allows the president to shield foreign nationals, including illegal aliens, from deportation based on vague ‘foreign relations power’. DED has no statutory basis. It bypassed Congress’ jurisdiction over immigration policymaking, such as determining which immigration programs should be deliberated and passed into law and to what extent they should be utilized. It’s long past time for Congress to reassert its role in regulating immigration by ending a program that enables illegal aliens to stay in the U.S. with work permits through the executive."

The TPS Reform Act will:

• Require that only Congress, not the President, have the authority to vote on and approve a nation’s citizens’ eligibility for TPS.
• Sets an 18-month maximum length for a TPS duration, requiring an additional congressional act to renew the designation.
• Mandate that TPS designations include not only the number of foreign nationals who would be affected but also the immigration status of those foreign nationals.
• Exclude illegal aliens who are already present in the U.S. from receiving TPS.

The TPS Reform Act is also supported by Citizens for Renewing America, Immigration Accountability Project, and the National Immigration Center for Enforcement. 

Wade Miller, Executive Director with Citizens for Renewing America, said on the TPS Reform Act: "Citizens for Renewing America endorses The TPS Reform Act. This bill will help restore congressional power over immigration by granting Congress, not the President, authority to designate a foreign country under U.S. Temporary Protected Status (TPS). TPS authority has been abused by past Presidents as an amnesty tool and should be voted on by the people's representatives in Congress."

The End DED Act will:

• Abolish DED by barring the president or other federal agency heads from using federal taxpayer dollars to use the lawless program.

The End DED Act is also supported by Immigration Accountability Project, Federation for American Immigration Reform, Center for Renewing America, National Immigration Center for Enforcement, and Heritage Action.

Wade Miller, Executive Director with Citizens for Renewing America, said on the End DED Act: "The End DED Act will bring an end to a major amnesty authority. Deferred Enforced Departure, a temporary stay of administrative removal of which any President can use at their discretion, has protected thousands of foreign nationals from repatriation since it was created in 1990. Citizens for Renewing America is proud to endorse a bill ending this amnesty loophole."

Heritage Action on the End DED Act: “Heritage Action applauds the End DED Act and Congressman Chip Roy for his leadership in introducing this legislation to defund the unauthorized Deferred Enforced Departure program. American taxpayer dollars must not be funneled to protect illegal migrants from deportation, ultimately furthering the mass border crisis seen under President Biden. It’s time to stop enabling illegal aliens to stay in the U.S. Heritage Action endorses this legislation to abolish this unauthorized and illegitimate program.”

The TPS Reform Act can be read here.
The End DED Act can be read here.

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