WASHINGTON — Yesterday, Representatives Ronny Jackson (TX-13) and August Pfluger (TX-11) introduced legislation to prohibit a remain in Texas policy for illegal aliens who cross the border. The Biden administration is reportedly seeking to implement policies that would force migrants to remain in Texas while awaiting asylum screening. This bill would prohibit Secretary Mayorkas from implementing or enforcing this policy. 

Jackson said: "Democrat mayors that once relished in providing sanctuary cities for illegal aliens are now seeing the pain and destruction open border policies cause, pain Texas has felt for years. Our country is being invaded by invitation due to the open border policies of the Biden administration. Since taking office, Biden has welcomed over 3.8 million illegal immigrants into the United States, with at least 169 from the terrorist watchlist, that we know of, and millions more "gotaways," and we have no idea who they are or where they are. Texas should not have to bear the burden of liberal border policies that hurt Americans and destroy our way of life. I will not stand for the hypocrisy of liberal politicians who advocated for sanctuary cities and now want to force illegal immigrants to stay in Texas. They now want someone else to deal with the consequences of their radical agenda and will do anything as long as it doesn't impose real border solutions. Enough is enough! This stops now." 

Pfluger said:  "Texans will not stand for any Remain-in-Texas plan from the Biden Administration to force our state to bear the brunt of the President’s self-made border crisis. Liberal sanctuary cities like New York that openly obstruct federal immigration laws and have policies in place to shield criminals from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should not be immune to the crisis at our border. Biden’s Remain-in-Texas policy must remain in the trash can."

Greg Sindelar, Texas Public Policy Foundation CEO said: "Biden is deliberately trying to shield sanctuary cities from having to live with the reality of their open-border lunacy. The President can't be bothered to fix this national security crisis, which is completely of his doing, but he's more than willing to throw a lifeline to supposedly "pro migrant" liberal cities as he tramples on state sovereignty in the process. Texas has been abandoned by the federal government and we must do whatever is necessary in our fight against this coordinated assault on our state and country."

Ryan Walker, Executive VP of Heritage Action said: "Congress needs to pass H.R. 2 in its entirety to secure our border. Instead, the Biden Administration proposed keeping millions of illegal aliens in Texas to respond to mayors from around the country now complaining about the number of illegal aliens arriving in their cities. We encourage all members to support this effort to push back against the Left's failing sanctuary city policies."

Dan Stein, President of Federation for American Immigration Reform said:  "A "Remain in Texas" policy is nothing more than a calculated attempt by President Biden to have it both ways on immigration. He has thrown the borders open and now he wants to shield his supporters in sanctuary cities from the full impact. This bill offered by Congressmen Jackson and Pfluger helps ensure that the burden of the President’s open-borders policies are shouldered by all Americans, and forces the President to face the backlash that is boiling up in cities across the country." 

The full bill text can be found here. This legislation is supported by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Heritage Foundation, Federation for American Immigration Reform, and NumbersUSA. 

Representatives Jake Ellzey (TX-6), Brian Babin (TX-36), Pat Fallon (TX-4), Morgan Luttrell (TX-8), Dan Crenshaw (TX-2), Randy Weber (TX-14), Beth Van Duyne (TX-24), Jodey Arrington (TX-19), Lance Gooden (TX-5), Troy Nehls (TX-22), Keith Self (TX-3), Pete Sessions (TX-17), Michael Burgess (TX-26), Michael McCaul (TX-10), Roger Williams (TX-25), Nathaniel Moran (TX-1), Kay Granger (TX-12), Tony Gonzales (TX-23), Chip Roy (TX-21), Michael Cloud (TX-27), John Carter (TX-31), Monica De La Cruz (TX-15), Wesley Hunt (TX-38), Andy Biggs (AZ-5), Jeff Duncan (SC-3), Ralph Norman (SC-5), and Michael Guest (MS-3) cosponsored Jackson and Pfluger's legislation.

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