Southwest Montana News

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Matt Rosendale has introduced a package of five bills aimed at addressing the ongoing border crisis and reinstating the rule-of-law at the southern border. The bills have been introduced in response to the record-breaking number of over 300,000 border encounters in December and the destructive open border policies of the Biden Administration.

One of the key pieces of legislation introduced by Rep. Rosendale is the REMAIN In Mexico Act. This bill would require the Department of Homeland Security to implement the Migrant Protection Protocols, which were enacted under President Trump. The protocols dictate that non-clearly admissible aliens, including asylum seekers, should be returned to Mexico while their immigration proceedings are pending. Grant Newman, the Director of Federal Government Relations at NumbersUSA, stated that the MPP was an extremely effective tool in discouraging fraudulent asylum claims and bringing order to the border.

Another bill introduced by Rep. Rosendale is the Criminalize Fleeing from Immigration Enforcement Act. This bill would make it a federal crime to flee from law enforcement at checkpoints, including fleeing from a law enforcement officer who is enforcing immigration laws. The bill aims to strengthen law enforcement efforts at the border and ensure that individuals who evade immigration authorities are held accountable.

To protect American workers, Rep. Rosendale has also introduced the American Worker Protection Act. This bill seeks to codify a DHS rule implemented by President Trump that changed the selection method of H-1B visas to prioritize companies offering the highest wages to their H-1B workers. The goal is to protect American workers from suppressed wages while maintaining a robust tech industry.

In an effort to address the issue of fair representation, Rep. Rosendale has introduced the Count Only Citizens Act. This bill would require the Census Bureau to include a check box for citizenship or lawful presence in the United States on the Census, ensuring that only American citizens are counted for congressional representation. Currently, estimates suggest that there are nearly 17 million illegal aliens in the U.S., many of whom are counted in the Census, giving certain states unfair advantages in the apportionment process.

Finally, Rep. Rosendale has introduced the Mass Immigration Reduction Act. This bill aims to create a five-year moratorium on most types of immigration until the number of illegal border crossings is reduced to fewer than 10,000 per year. The bill also seeks to end chain migration and the diversity lottery during the moratorium period, and limit automatic birthright citizenship to individuals with at least one parent who is a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident of the United States at the time of birth.

These bills put into statute successful policies implemented by President Trump and aim to tackle the border crisis head-on. Rep. Rosendale stated, "This package puts into statute the many successful policies that President Trump implemented, and will not only tackle the crisis head-on, but it will also reverse the reckless, crime-encouraging, open-border policies of the Biden Administration."

The introduction of these bills has been supported by various co-sponsors and immigration policy experts. James Massa, the CEO of NumbersUSA, applauded Rep. Rosendale for introducing the Mass Immigration Reduction Act as a strong and sensible response to the crisis. Congressman Tom Tancredo, from the Immigration Accountability Project, also expressed his appreciation for Rep. Rosendale's recognition of the urgent need for action.

As the border crisis continues to escalate, it is essential for lawmakers to take decisive action to secure the border and protect American citizens. The bills introduced by Rep. Rosendale aim to do just that by addressing key issues such as immigration proceedings, law enforcement, worker protection, fair representation, and overall immigration reduction. It remains to be seen how these bills will progress, but they represent an important step in the ongoing efforts to secure the border and ensure the well-being of the American people.