Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts has launched a scathing critique of the Biden administration’s immigration policies, asserting that they are actively fostering illegal immigration rather than addressing it. Ricketts contends that President Joe Biden’s claims of needing new legislation to secure the borders are unfounded, arguing that Biden possesses the same tools as his predecessor, President Trump, who successfully curbed illegal border crossings during his tenure.
According to Ricketts, the surge in illegal immigration witnessed since Biden took office can be attributed to his administration’s policy decisions. Ricketts accuses the Biden administration of abusing the parole and asylum process, thereby encouraging mass migration of illegal immigrants.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the president has the authority to parole foreigners into the country on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian need or significant public benefit. While previous administrations paroled an average of 5,600 individuals annually, the Biden administration allegedly abused this authority by allowing 1.2 million foreign nationals into the country last year, a move deemed by Ricketts as a policy choice rather than a case-by-case consideration.
Additionally, Ricketts criticizes the administration for exploiting the asylum system, citing the promotion of the “CBP One” cell phone app for asylum seekers. This app purportedly enables foreign nationals from select countries to request permission to fly to the United States while awaiting an asylum hearing. Once approved, they are allowed to board flights to one of 43 U.S. airports, where they are inspected and subsequently released into the country on parole, granting them legal status and work authorization for two years.
A report by the Center for Immigration Studies revealed that 320,000 foreign nationals arrived at these designated airports last year, surpassing the population of Lincoln, Nebraska. Ricketts denounces this practice as circumventing the normal legal immigration process.
Ricketts expresses concern over the lack of transparency from the Biden administration regarding the specifics of these immigration practices, including the airports receiving illegal immigrants and the extent of their arrival in Nebraska.
Attributing the current immigration crisis to President Biden’s policies, Ricketts asserts that every state and town now bears the brunt of border-related issues. He calls for legislative action to reverse Biden’s policies, advocating for measures such as reinstating the Remain in Mexico policy, building the border wall, and ending asylum loopholes. Ricketts vows to continue pushing for accountability measures against drug cartels and sanctuary cities while urging an end to catch and release and the alleged abuse of parole by the Biden administration.