June 20, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 104 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E809]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IMMIGRANT HERITAGE MONTH, WORLD REFUGEE DAY, AND H.R. 2489, THE WAIVER 
                  ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY ACT

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 20, 2019

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in celebration, of 
Immigrant Heritage Month and World Refugee Day, which comes at a time 
when this Administration is undertaking unprecedented and cruel actions 
against immigrants.
  Each June, we recognize the enormous contributions that immigrants 
have made to our country. Our country is a nation of immigrants and 
during this month we acknowledge their work in our military, as 
entrepreneurs, as educators, and activists.
  Today is also World Refugee Day.
  This year, the United States will only accept up to 30,000 refugees--
a historically low number. In 2016, our country took in almost 85,000 
refugees. We must do better.
  As Americans of conscience, we must commit ourselves to standing 
against any treatment of immigrants and refugees that contradicts our 
values of inclusion and support for human rights.
  This Administration has undertaken a shameful immigration blueprint 
that has attacked and demonized immigrants at every turn. From the 
discriminatory Muslim Ban to the cruel Family Separation Policy, these 
actions will forever be a stain on our nation's history.
  The immigration policies of this President will also leave lasting 
scars for countless individuals and families. These include:
  Children ripped away from their parents and loved ones;
  Veterans deported after bravely serving our country;
  Children in government custody who had legal services, classes and 
recreation canceled;
  DREAMers who have had their DACA protections stripped away; and
  Immigrants at detention facilities with abhorrent conditions, 
including private prisons being run by for-profit contractors.
  We are better than this.
  I am working to improve conditions at immigration detention 
facilities. Immigrants in U.S. custody should be treated with dignity 
and respect. That is why I recently introduced the Waiver 
Accountability and Transparency Act, H.R. 2489.
  My legislation will stop U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's 
abuse of a waiver system that allows detention facilities to circumvent 
critical federal standards. Waiving these standards endangers the 
health and safety of tens of thousands of immigrants.
  In January, the Department of Homeland Security's Office of the 
Inspector General released a report showing that ICE had no formal 
policies to manage the waiver process and it detailed egregious waivers 
granted by ICE.
  For example, ICE signed off on a waiver to allow the for-profit 
contractor CoreCivic to use CS gas, a chemical agent 10 times more 
toxic than pepper spray, at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in 
California.
  Furthermore, the Otero County Processing Center in New Mexico was 
given a waiver by ICE allowing them to commingle low-custody and high-
custody detainees. Detention standards prohibit commingling detainees 
with serious criminal histories with those who are non-violent or have 
only committed immigration-related infractions.
  My bill reforms ICE's out-of-control waiver process through increased 
transparency, accountability, and oversight. ICE would need to notify 
Congress and post online whenever a waiver is granted. ICE's leadership 
would need to sign off on waivers. Waivers would no longer be granted 
for indefinite amounts of time and would need to be renewed every 90 
days. In the most serious cases, a corrective action plan must be in 
place before a waiver could be granted.
  We must do better. Those seeking a better life are not criminals and 
must be treated with dignity and respect.
  As we recognize Immigrant Heritage Month and World Refugee Day, it is 
vital to not only reflect on and celebrate the contributions of 
immigrants to our country, but to also act against this 
Administration's anti-immigrant policies.

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