Hoeven Statement Opposing Confirmation of USCIS Director

WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven issued the following statement after voting to oppose the confirmation of Ur Mendoza Jaddou to be director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

'The Biden administration is not taking the necessary steps to secure our border and enforce our laws to stem the tide of illegal immigration into our country,' said Hoeven. 'The Biden administration has rolled back policies that helped deter illegal crossings and create a safer and more orderly asylum system. I opposed Ms. Jaddou's nomination because I do not believe she or the Biden Administration have the right plan to help control our nation's immigration crisis.'

The senator traveled to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas earlier this year to see firsthand the ongoing illegal immigration crisis at the southern border with Border Patrol and local leaders. Hoeven also traveled with a bipartisan congressional delegation (CODEL) to Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia and Guatemala this month to discuss bilateral relations, including the need to work together to stop illegal migration and prevent human and drug trafficking.

The senator has been pressing the Biden administration to resume construction of the border wall and put in place the infrastructure, personnel and technology needed to secure the border. At the same time, Hoeven has been urging the administration to reinstate other key immigration policies. That includes:

• The Title 42 Public Health Order, an important tool that allows immigration officials to return illegal immigrants to their home country and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• The Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) or Remain in Mexico Policy, which required people seeking asylum at the southern border to wait in Mexico while their case was adjudicated.
• The Safe Third Country Agreements so those seeking asylum from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala can be returned to their home country to await the outcome of their claims.

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