Posted on 07/29/2014 8:45:04 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) hammered the Republicans' response to the southern border crisis Tuesday, saying the GOP's $659 million does far too little to protect the unaccompanied children migrating from Central America.
“We must have a heart, and look into our souls to guide us in our treatment of these desperate children," Pelosi said in a statement. "While we are reminded of the critical importance of passing comprehensive immigration reform, we must do so much more than the Republicans’ unjust and inhumane proposal."
Pelosi lodged a series of criticisms at the Republicans' bill, arguing that it lacks sufficient funding to ensure the migrant kids have secure legal representation and due process protections afforded under current law.
“The Republican bill … fails to provide any resources for legal aid to unaccompanied children with legitimate refugee or asylum claims, and does not authorize enough judges to adjudicate the extensive backlog of cases," she said. "It also poses a particular danger to child victims of gang violence and human trafficking."
The Democrats intend to whip against the measure when it comes up for a vote on Thursday, putting additional pressure on House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to rally Republicans amid some opposition from conservative members.
Boehner acknowledged Tuesday that GOP leaders have "a little more work to do" securing votes, but he predicted he'd have enough support by Thursday to send the measure to the Senate.
“I think there's sufficient support in the House to move this bill,” Boehner told reporters in the Capitol.
Pelosi, along with most Democrats, has been particularly critical of a provision of the border package that alters a 2008 human trafficking law to make it easier for authorities to deport the unaccompanied children. The critics contend that change is both unnecessary and has no place in a supplemental funding bill, particularly with such little time to explore the ramifications before the August recess.
"Anybody who wants to give the administration the ability to follow the law that now exists in the short term, while we consider whether or not we want to change the law, shouldn't be voting for this," Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), the Democratic whip, said Tuesday.
The GOP's package would provide $659 million to help ease pressure at the border through the end of September. The package would send National Guard troops to the border, increase funding for immigration judges and empower Border Patrol agents to access federally protected lands.
Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), who had headed a GOP working group that provided recommendations for a legislative response, said the package strikes the right balance between processing the migrants "humanely" securing the southern border.
"It would be irresponsible to allow this crisis to continue unabated for another month without immediate action to secure the border and deter more unaccompanied minors from making the journey and crossing the border illegally," Granger said in a statement.
Pelosi and the Democrats have different ideas, saying it leans too heavily toward security, without providing the care the child migrants deserve.
The humanitarian emergency along our southern border demands that we act in a way that honors our values as a nation, and respects the dignity of all people," Pelosi said. "We must treat the vulnerable children fleeing violence in their home countries with compassion."
The House is scheduled to vote on the Republicans' bill on Thursday, just before Congress leaves Washington for its five-week August vacation.
Spending 7K a month to foster illegal adults is what is inhumane, to the American citizens
So she’s renounced her stand on killing infants in the womb?
Shirley she jests. Like that earnest joshing guy.
On the same day she backs Hamas.
This is actually good news. This bill needs to fail. No teeth in it and why give Dingy Harry a bargaining chip.
If Nancy P. doesn’t like the Bill, it must be a GREAT Bill.
No chance. This bill needs to die NOW. Do NOT allow the Senate pigs to insist that their Comprehensive Immigration Reform BS be attached to it in committee.
Let this garbage die hear and now.
Otherwise, if the Senate CIR BS gets attached to this and passes, it’s well past time to Tar and Feather every Senator and Representative who votes for this and run them out of D.C. as our ancestors would have.
Enough of the passive and indifferent responses to the destruction of our society and country.
Good cop bad cop....
As the audience of fools applaud.
Typical Democrat Pelosi is. Open mouth is for emptying the collection of Marxist braingases, and blaming it on CO2.
You are right, of course.
For a moment there had slipped into the Nancy P. method of passing a Bill to find out what is it it.
Thanks for the Reality Check!
Let em all live with her
the millions of aborted babies nancy’s championed are screaming she’s a hypocrite.
Pelosi would fail a mental competency exam....
Since all the Dims want these “children” to have legal services/representation, rather than the we the taxpayers paying for them, let their buddies, all the trial lawyers, provide pro bono work. Most firms and some corporate attorneys already provide a variety of same.
Of course, if they did that, the Dims couldn’t line the pockets of their best donors, and the lawyers wouldn’t have extra dollars to contribute back to the Dims and their causes.
As would most hardcore progressives.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.