Acting U.S. Customs and Immigration Services Director Ken Cuccinelli, ripped by Democrats for following policy that threatened deportation of sick immigrants, threw the issue back into their laps Wednesday, charging that lawmakers have failed to back up their concerns with legislation.

At a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing, Cuccinelli said that there is no such thing as a medical deportation deferment for sick illegal immigrants and that if Congress wants one, it needs to write a new law.