Republican Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton claimed Tuesday that President Joe Biden is “keeping America closed” with reported travel restrictions while opening the souther border with a non-deportation order.
“It is crazy. The Biden administration has put in placed a moratorium on all deportations,” Cotton told Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom.”
“They further are proposing that they will ignore serious crimes like assault or DUI when it comes to deportations,” Cotton said, while noting reports like the one from Jackson County, Texas sheriff A.J. Louderback, who suggested to Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight” that illegal aliens are being allowed into the U.S. without a coronavirus test. (RELATED: ‘Why Should Non-Citizens Be Treated Better?’ Texas AG Blasts Biden Decision to Vaccinate Illegals)
Under President Joe Biden’s non-deportation rules, immigrants can’t be deported if they get a DUI, commit fraud, tax crimes or assault, Fox News reported, noting that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will be stood down.
In January, a federal judge in Texas ruled against the Biden administration’s plan to have a 100-day moratorium on most deportations.
Cotton said Biden is keeping America closed with reported travel restrictions that include requiring anyone flying domestically to successfully pass a coronavirus test first.
“Just think about that. Illegal aliens can come into our country without vaccination, without even a negative test but we may not be able to fly in our own country without a negative test.”
Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) told Politifact that agents perform inspections for symptoms of COVID-19 on immigrants who cross the border and refer them to local hospitals if they are at risk.
CBP also told Politifact that procedures on the coronavirus have been in place since the beginning of the pandemic.
Procedures included “screening individuals for COVID-19 symptoms when they are initially processed at a facility, and continued monitoring for potential COVID-19 symptoms for as long as they remain in CBP custody,” according to a 2020 inspector general report.
“Joe Biden is keeping America closed but is keeping our borders open,” Cotton added.
Biden’s eight-year path to citizenship plan would allow all illegal immigrants living in the U.S. as of Jan. 1, 2021 to achieve temporary legal status in five years and to apply for citizenship after an additional three years. (RELATED: Tucker Carlson: America’s Elites Want ‘Immigration Without Limit’)
Honduran migrants walk towards the Honduras-Guatemala border as part of their journey to the U.S. on Jan. 15, 2021 in Nueva Arcadia, Honduras. (Photo by Milo Espinoza/Getty Images)
Individuals would be expected to pay taxes and be subject to background checks during this process.
The Biden administration is not encouraging migrants to cross the southern border and has attempted to reduce expectations of mass asylum.