Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50), senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, led the Republican Motion to Recommit to prevent taxpayer funding for a new alien port of entry entitlement created by H.R. 1573, the Access to Counsel Act of 2021.
This bill would require that aliens attempting to enter the U.S. through a port of entry be afforded a right to consult with a counsel or other interested party if the alien is referred to a secondary inspection. This will upend current practice and impose serious logistical and practical consequences to entry screening at increased taxpayer expense.
Issa stated:
“Our southern border is in chaos. Customs and Border officials are stretched to the breaking point. Rather than crafting solutions, the bill brought to the floor today by Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats would make the situation worse.”
“There is no question a secure border with proper entry screening makes for safer American communities. But this bill undermines a secure and efficient screening process at ports of entry, and no doubt, the taxpayer will pay the consequences.”
“The entitlement created by this bill is costly, unworkable and unwise, and we cannot in good conscience ask the taxpayers to pay for it. That’s why my motion will block taxpayer funding for this new immigrant inspection entitlement.”
“My Democratic colleagues have repeatedly argued they have no intent to force taxpayers to fund this new entitlement. If that is true, there is no reason not to put that taxpayer protection commitment in writing.”
