Democratic leaders say they do not think President Obama’s executive amnesty will inspire more illegal immigration. “No, I’m not concerned,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Thursday, when asked about the prospect of more illegal immigration in the wake of President Obama’s executive actions.
Republicans have highlighted that since President Obama announced (in 2012) his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA) — which shielded certain illegal immigrants from deportation, if they arrived in the United States as children — the border has experienced an increase in the number of unaccompanied minors illegally entering the U.S.
That migration reached a fever pitch this year when tens of thousands of UACs — largely from Central America — illegally entered the U.S. They overwhelmed government resources and caused a humanitarian crisis.
A lawsuit introduced by 17 states Wednesday challenging Obama’s executive actions on immigration — which included granted legal status and work permits to millions of illegal immigrants — highlighted that the actions will “will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis along the southern border, which will affect increased state investment in law enforcement, health care and education.”
But according to Pelosi and Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA) the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, Obama’s most recent amnesty will not serve to incentivize more illegal immigration.
“No one qualifies unless they have a long-standing tenure in this country and have a direct link to a U.S. citizen in the country,” Becerra said. “So it would be impossible for somebody who is not in the country to think that this is an opportunity for them to stay. And so no, I don’t think there is any concern that this is going to bring someone not in the country.”
“This is something that affects people who’ve been here 16 years, not who are thinking of coming in 16 weeks,” he added.