A House Republican is offering legislation that would use foreign aid to fund the deportation of illegal immigrants in an attempt to discourage caravans of migrants trying to enter the country.
The Anti-Caravan Act of 2022, introduced by Rep. Yvette Herrell on Thursday, would direct the State Department to use up to $60 million of foreign aid funding to pay for 70% of the cost of flights sending illegal immigrants to their home countries.
“Massive migrant caravans are a national security threat and an attack on the sovereignty of the United States. My legislation would use existing funds to repatriate aliens in cooperation with friendly Central American countries, whose communities and indigenous peoples are also being harmed by illegal caravans,” the congressman from New Mexico said in a statement sent to Fox News.
TEXAS SAYS BUSING MIGRANTS TO DC MORE LIKE DISASTER EVACUATION THAN ‘KIDNAPPING’
The bill would also require the State Department to provide funding to countries that have adopted policies meant to deter illegal immigration to the United States. This would include funding for the detention of immigrants, processing relevant cases, and funding flights to send them to their home countries.
Another feature of the legislation penalizes those who decided to travel to the United States while in a caravan. The bill defines a “caravan” as a group of 25 or more people, and it would declare anyone traveling in a caravan ineligible for asylum for 10 years. It also outlines criminal penalties for caravan organizers. Anyone who decides to organize a caravan under this new definition would be ineligible for asylum for 30 years, and they would also face up to 10 years in prison.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The bill is one of several responses from Republicans regarding the Biden administration’s April 1 decision to end Title 42, a public health order that allowed the U.S. to turn away immediately any noncitizen who illegally came across the borders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rep. Scott DesJarlais filed legislation on Tuesday to enable Title 42 to be used after its initial expiration to prevent drug smuggling.
Three Republican states sued the Biden administration on Monday, claiming the end of Title 42 would create additional chaos on the southern border.
