2017: Fitzpatrick Voted For The Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal
Act. In September 2017, Fitzpatrick voted for legislation that would
have it made it easier for the federal government to deport suspected
immigrant gang members. According to Congressional Quarterly, "Passage
of the bill that would define a criminal gang as a group of five or more
persons that has the primary purpose of the commission of one or more
certain criminal offenses and would prohibit individuals defined as
foreign criminal gang members from entering the United States. It would
prohibit a criminal gang member, who is not a U.S. citizen or U.S.
national, from being eligible for certain immigration benefits such as
asylum, special immigrant juvenile status, and temporary protected
status." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of
233 to 175. The Senate took no substantive action on the legislation.
[House Vote 517,
9/14/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 9/14/17; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
3697]
Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM): "The Bill Broadly Overreaches
And Puts Americans And Immigrants At Risk Of Being Unjustly
Profiled." According to The Hill, "But critics, including civil
liberties groups, said the legislation would threaten due process
rights. 'The bill broadly overreaches and puts Americans and
immigrants at risk of being unjustly profiled,' Congressional
Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) said. 'We
all support efforts to make our cities and neighborhoods safer,
including a crackdown on gang violence. But this legislation
infringes on constitutional protections, and is irresponsible and
dangerous.'" [The Hill,
9/14/17]
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA): Legislation's Definition Of A Gang Was
Overly Broad, Potentially Impacting Religious Organizations.
According to The Hill, "The bill would also define a criminal gang
as a group of five or more people whose primary purpose is to commit
a felony drug offense, fraud or violent crime, importing or
harboring people in the U.S. illegally or obstruct justice. Rep. Zoe
Lofgren (D-Calif.), a senior member of the House Judiciary
Committee, said that the broad definitions could apply to groups of
people that aren't really gangs. She offered religious organizations
offering shelter and assistance to undocumented immigrants as an
example of what could fall under that definition. 'This may seem
reasonable until you look at the offenses listed. These offenses
could sweep in many people that no reasonable person would think of
as a gang member,' Lofgren said. 'That means that under this bill, a
religious organization that aids undocumented immigrants could be a
criminal gang.'" [The Hill,
9/14/17]
2023: Fitzpatrick Voted To Require DHS To Restore Detention
Facilities. In May 2023, according to Congressional Quarterly,
Fitzpatrick voted for the Secure The Border Act, which, "Among other
immigration enforcement provisions, the bill would require DHS to reopen
or restore the use of all Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention
facilities that were in operation on Jan. 20, 2021." The vote was on
passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 219 to 213, thus the
bill was sent to the Senate. [House Vote 209,
5/11/23; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/11/23;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
2]
2023: Fitzpatrick Voted To Establish A System Based On The E-Verify
Pilot Program To Verify Whether Workers Were Eligible To Work In The
U.S. In May 2023, according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick
voted for the Secure The Border Act, which would "require DHS to create
a system based on the E-Verify pilot program to verify whether
prospective employees are eligible to work in the U.S. and gradually
require all employers to begin using the new system over 24 months, with
36-month deadline for agricultural sector employers." The vote was on
passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 219 to 213, thus the
bill was sent to the Senate. [House Vote 209,
5/11/23; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/11/23;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
2]
All Employers Would Be Required To Implement The New E-Verify
System Within 24 Months, While Agricultural Employers Could
Implement The System Within 36 Months. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "require DHS to create a system based on the E-Verify
pilot program to verify whether prospective employees are eligible
to work in the U.S. and gradually require all employers to begin
using the new system over 24 months, with 36-month deadline for
agricultural sector employers. [Congressional Quarterly,
5/11/23]
Some Republicans Were Concerned That Expanding E-Verify Without
Reworking The Agricultural Visa Program Would Make It Harder For
Rural Farmer To Find Workers. According to CNN, "There were also
concerns over a provision in the bill to expand E-verify with some
Republicans worried that without reworking the agricultural visa
program, the provision could make it more difficult for rural
farmers to find a pipeline of workers." [CNN,
5/11/23]
The Bill Would Resume The Border Wall Construction, Raise Funding
For Border Agents And Upgrade Border Equipment, Re-Implement The
"Remain In Mexico Policy," Create New Restrictions On
Asylum-Seeking, And Enhance E-Verify. According to CNN, "The bill
would restart construction of a border wall, increase funding for
border agents and upgraded border technology, reinstate the 'remain
in Mexico' policy, place new restrictions on asylum seekers, and
enhance requirements for E-verify, a database employers use to
verify immigration status." [CNN,
5/11/23]
2023: Fitzpatrick Voted For An Amendment That Would Express That
Implementing The E-Verify Program Would Address Any Adverse Impact On
The Agricultural Workforce, Operations And Food Security. In May 2023,
according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for an amendment
to the rule provided by H.Res. 383, which would "also express the sense
of Congress that, in implementing the E-Verify Program, DHS shall ensure
any adverse impact on the nation's agricultural workforce, operations
and food security are considered and addressed." The vote was on the
adoption of an amendment. The House adopted the amendment by a vote of
236 to 190. [House Vote 206,
5/10/23; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/10/23;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
383;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
2;
Congressional Actions, H.Amdt.
172]
2021: Fitzpatrick Voted To Replace The Current Federal E-Verify
Employment Verification System With A New Electronic System And Require
All System Users, Including Agricultural Employers, To Use The New
System. In March 2021, Fitzpatrick voted for the Farm Workforce
Modernization Act of 2021 which would, according to Congressional
Quarterly, "replace the E-Verify employment status verification system
with a similar system for use by the agricultural sector [...] It
would require DHS to terminate the existing federal E-Verify employment
status verification system and administer a new electronic system to
determine the eligibility of individuals to work in U.S. It would
require agricultural sector employers and users of the current system to
use the new system." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill
by a vote of 247-174. The Senate did not take substantive action on the
bill. [House Vote 93,
3/18/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 3/18/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
1603]
The Bill Would Fortify Enforcement Of The Federal E-Verify System,
Not Even Providing Exemptions To Small Farmers. According to Vox,
"The bill tightens up enforcement, requiring farm employers to
participate in the federal E-Verify program, with no exemptions for
small farmers." [Vox,
3/18/21]
The Bill Would Maintain The Federal Minimum Wage For A Year And
Limit Increases At 3.25% For Following Nine Years. According to
Vox, "It would freeze the minimum wage set by the government for one
year and cap increases at 3.25 percent for the next nine years."
[Vox,
3/18/21]
2021: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against An Amendment That Would
Allow Homeland Security To Delay A New E-Verify Employment Authorization
System For Up To 180 Days If There Were To Be A High Number Of Pending
Applications For Certified Agricultural Worker Status. In March 2021,
Fitzpatrick effectively voted against the manager's amendment to the
Farm Workforce Modernization Act which would, according to Congressional
Quarterly, "allow the secretary to delay E-Verify implementation for up
to 180 days if a significant number of applications for certified
agricultural worker status are pending." The vote was on the adoption of
the rule. The House adopted the rule by a vote of 216-204, thus
automatically adopting the manager's amendment. [House Vote 79,
3/16/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 3/16/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
1603;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
233]
2021: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against An Amendment That Would
Allow Homeland Security To Delay A New E-Verify Employment Authorization
System For Up To 180 Days If There Were To Be A High Number Of Pending
Applications For Certified Agricultural Worker Status. In March 2021,
Fitzpatrick effectively voted against the manager's amendment to the
Farm Workforce Modernization Act which would, according to Congressional
Quarterly, "allow the secretary to delay E-Verify implementation for up
to 180 days if a significant number of applications for certified
agricultural worker status are pending." The vote was on a motion to
order the previous question. The House agreed to the motion by a vote of
212-200. [House Vote 78,
3/16/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 3/16/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
1603;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
233]
2021: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against An Amendment That Would
Ensure The PRO Act Would Not Modify Existing Immigration Laws That
Forbid Employers From Knowingly Hiring Undocumented Workers. In March
2021, Fitzpatrick effectively voted against the manager's amendment to
the Protecting the Right to Organize Act which would, according to
Congressional Quarterly, "state that none of the bill's provisions
would modify existing immigration law that generally prohibits employers
from knowingly hiring undocumented individuals." The vote was on the
adoption of the rule. The House adopted the rule by a vote of 218-197,
thus automatically adopting the amendment. [House Vote 64,
3/8/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 3/8/21; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
842;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
188]
2021: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against An Amendment That Would
Ensure The Bill Would Not Modify Existing Immigration Laws That Forbid
Employers From Knowingly Hiring Undocumented Workers. In March 2021,
Fitzpatrick effectively voted against the manager's amendment to the
Protecting the Right to Organize Act which would, according to
Congressional Quarterly, "state that none of the bill's provisions
would modify existing immigration law that generally prohibits employers
from knowingly hiring undocumented individuals." The vote was on a
motion to order the previous question. The House agreed to the motion by
a vote of 213-195. [House Vote 63,
3/8/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 3/8/21; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
842;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
188]
2018: Fitzpatrick Voted Against A Republican Immigration Reform
Measure Which Provided $9.3 Billion In Wall Funding, A Three-Year
Renewable Temporary Status For DACA Recipients, And Required All
Employers To Verify Immigration Status. In June 2018, Fitzpatrick
voted against a conservative immigration reform bill. Acceding to
Congressional Quarterly, "Passage of the bill that would authorize
$24.8 billion for fiscal 2018 through fiscal 2022 for various border
security activities, including $9.3 billion for a border wall and other
physical barriers and would provide individuals registered under the
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program with a three-year,
renewable contingent non-immigrant legal status but with no special path
to citizenship. It would modify legal immigration by ending the
diversity visa program and restricting most family-based immigration to
allow only spouses and minor children of legal permanent residents to
receive green cards. It would increase enforcement of immigration laws
within the United States, including by requiring all employers to verify
the immigration status and eligibility of individuals seeking jobs in
the United States." The vote was on passage. The House rejected the bill
by a vote of 193 to 231. [House Vote 282,
6/21/18; Congressional
Quarterly, 6/21/18; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
4760]
2018: Fitzpatrick Voted For The So-Called Compromise GOP Immigration
Will That Funded The Wall, Provided A Pathway To Citizenship For DACA
Recipients, And Ended The Child Separation Policy. In June 2018,
Fitzpatrick voted for the "compromise" immigration proposal between
Republican conservatives and moderates. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "Passage of the bill that would appropriate $23.4 billion
for various border security activities. Included would be $16.6 billion
for a 'border wall system,' which would be available from fiscal 2019
through fiscal 2027, and $6.8 billion for border security investments,
which would be available from fiscal 2019 through fiscal 2023. It would
provide those with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status a
six-year renewable contingent non-immigrant legal status and would allow
them to apply for a green card after five years, providing a path to
citizenship. It would modify legal immigration by ending the diversity
visa program and reallocating those visas to other classifications. The
bill would require that undocumented immigrants who are charged with a
misdemeanor offense for improper entry into the United States be
detained with their minor children." The vote was on passage. The House
rejected the bill by a vote of 121 to 301. [House Vote 297,
6/27/18; Congressional
Quarterly, 6/27/18; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
6136]
2018: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against Ending The Trump
Administration's Policy Of Separating Children From Their Parents At The
Border For Those Accused Of Entering The United States Illegally. In
June 2018, Fitzpatrick effectively voted against an amendment that would
have, according to Congressional Quarterly, "prohibit[ed] law
enforcement from detaining, separately from their child, any individual
accused of illegally entering the United States with a child, in cases
in which the child is under the age of 18." The underlying legislation
was the so-called GOP immigration compromise bill. The House rejected
the amendment by a vote of 190 to 230. [House Vote 296,
6/27/18; Congressional
Quarterly, 6/27/18; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
6136]
The U.S. Government Is Separating Children From Their Parents At
The Border If They Are Accused Of Entering The U.S. Illegally.
According to Vox, "As a matter of policy, the US government is
separating families who seek asylum in the US by crossing the border
illegally. Dozens of parents are being split from their children
each day --- the children labeled 'unaccompanied minors' and sent to
government custody or foster care, the parents labeled criminals and
sent to jail. [...] Family separation isn't sudden, nor is it
arbitrary. While the Trump administration claims it's taking
extraordinary measures in response to a temporary surge, it is
entirely possible this will be the new normal. Here's what you need
to know to understand it." [Vox,
6/15/18]
Family Separation Is In Part Done Because Children Cannot Be Sent
To Jail With Their Parents; Jailing The Parents Is A Harsher Than
Normal Penalty. According to Vox, "Typically, people apprehended
crossing into the US are held in immigration detention and sent
before an immigration judge to see if they will be deported as
unauthorized immigrants. But migrants who've been referred for
criminal prosecution get sent to a federal jail and brought before a
federal judge a few weeks later to see if they'll get prison time.
That's where the separation happens --- because you can't be kept
with your children in federal jail." [Vox,
6/15/18]
Between October 2017 And The End Of May 2018, At Least 2,700
Children Were Separated From Their Parents. According to Vox,
"Between October 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018, at least 2,700 children
have been split from their parents. 1,995 of them were separated
over the last six weeks of that window --- April 18 to May 31 ---
indicating that at present, an average of 45 children are being
taken from their parents each day. To many critics of the Trump
administration, family separation is an unpardonable atrocity.
Articles depict children crying themselves to sleep because they
don't know where their parents are; one Honduran man killed himself
in a detention cell after his child was taken from him." [Vox,
6/15/18]
2019: Fitzpatrick Voted For An Omnibus Spending Proposal Preventing
Another Government Shutdown And Providing $1.375 Billion For New And
Replacement Barriers, But Not The Full $5.7 Billion For The Wall. In
February 2019, Fitzpatrick voted for the FY 2019 consolidated
appropriations bill. According to Congressional Quarterly, "This
Conference Summary describes the agreement on H J Res 31, Consolidated
Appropriations Act for FY 2019, which provides detailed, full-year
funding for all seven remaining FY 2019 spending bills ---thereby
completing the FY 2019 appropriations process. The centerpiece, Homeland
Security, provides $1.375 billion for new and replacement barriers
along the U.S. border with Mexico, including 55 miles of new fencing,
along with an increase of $1.5 billion in other border security funding
--- such as for new technology at ports of entry and additional Customs
officers. Outside of the Homeland bill, it includes another $1.6
billion for border security, as well as a 1.9% pay increase for federal
civilian employees." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill
by a vote of 300 to 128. The bill was later signed into law by the
president. [House Vote 87,
2/14/19; Congressional
Quarterly, 2/14/19; Congressional
Actions, H. J. Res.
31]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted To Allow DHS To Use Private Immigration
Detention Facilities. In September 2017, Fitzpatrick voted against an
amendment that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly,
"prohibit[ed] funds appropriated to the Department of Homeland
Security to be used to enter into contracts with privatized immigration
detention facilities." The underlying legislation was a legislative
vehicle for an FY 2018 Omnibus appropriations bill. The House rejected
the amendment by a vote of 183 to 230. [House Vote 465,
9/7/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 9/7/17; Congressional
Actions, H. Amdt.
316;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3354]