Sen. Hawley Criticizes Biden Administration for 'De Facto Amnesty' to Illegal Immigrants

United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) has vehemently criticized the Biden administration for its decision to cancel asylum proceedings for over 350,000 migrants, labeling the move as “de facto amnesty.” Hawley’s condemnation came in a letter addressed to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), expressing grave concerns about the implications of this policy.

Reports have surfaced revealing that since 2022, more than 350,000 migrants who applied for asylum have had their cases quietly canceled, allowing them to remain in the United States indefinitely. These individuals are no longer tracked by immigration authorities and are not subject to deportation.

“I write with alarm that your Department once again appears to be circumventing its duty to enforce immigration laws,” Hawley wrote. He accused DHS of “granting de facto amnesty to hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants.” Hawley emphasized that these migrants are no longer required to check in with authorities, allowing them to pursue other avenues for obtaining legal status and remaining in the country.

• Hawley criticized the Biden administration's inconsistent stance on border security, stating, “Granting mass amnesty to illegal migrants contradicts any Biden Administration claim that it is now somehow getting ‘tough’ on the border.”

• He called for an immediate reversal of the policy, urging DHS to end the “covert mass amnesty program” that he believes endangers American safety and security.

Hawley posed several critical questions to DHS, demanding clarity on how the department is tracking the migrants whose asylum cases have been closed without a merits decision. He also inquired about the number of migrants who have committed crimes after their cases were closed.

The Senator highlighted recent violent crimes allegedly committed by illegal immigrants, including the murder of Laken Riley and the shooting of two New York City Police officers, to underscore the potential dangers of the policy. He also questioned how many migrants with closed asylum cases have applied for visas, temporary protected status, or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Under the Biden administration, 77 percent of those who applied for asylum have been allowed to remain in the United States, contributing to a current asylum backlog exceeding 3.5 million cases. The administration has overseen an unprecedented border crisis, with authorities recording over 9.5 million nationwide encounters and an estimated 1.7 million illegal immigrant gotaways during Biden’s term. The foreign-born population in the U.S. has reached a record high of 51.6 million, driven primarily by mass illegal immigration.

“This report makes it clear that the left’s radical agenda, led by Biden’s policies, are self-inflicted wounds that are directly contributing to the current economic challenges and rising energy costs hurting millions of working Americans across the country,” Hawley said, summarizing his stance on the administration's approach to immigration.

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