Washington, D.C. – Congressman John Culberson (TX-07) today issued the following statement after questioning Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Sarah R. Saldaña during a Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee hearing:
“Director Saldaña confirmed today that the Administration’s refusal to enforce our immigration laws as written is intentional, and that they will continue to only enforce the law as they see fit.
“Law enforcement lies at the heart of all our liberties. Enforcing the law as written by Congress is not optional. The President and his agency heads must enforce the law as written, and they cannot follow their own personal interpretation. Yet, Director Saldaña confirmed today that ICE will not use the 34,000 detention beds as the law requires, and they will not deport criminal aliens as the law requires.
“The American people from coast to coast are outraged by the fact that the President has systematically and repeatedly refused to uphold the law as written.
“We in Texas feel the brunt of this with the number of illegal criminals coming across the border - the drug runners, the killers and the sex-traffickers. It’s appalling and outrageous.
“We expect the Administration to follow the law as written. As I told Director Saldaña today, when something says ‘shall’ it’s not optional.
“I intend to do everything I can using the power of the purse to ensure our laws are enforced as written, just as I did when I persuaded ATF to drop their proposed ban on .223 ammunition.”
