Of antiImmigration Enforcement policies and the vilification of federal state and local Law Enforcement officer whose attempt to enforce our nations Immigration Laws. Our Immigration Laws are an expression of our nations sovereignty. Theyre not suggestions. Yet for the past eight years, they were largely ignored. And the example was set from the top. The Obama Administration abandoned the rule of law under the guise of prosecutorial. The death by dui of sarah root. Terrorist attacks ranging from the World Trade Center to the massacre at san bernardino. The assault against a rockville teenager. The time is long overdue to insure our Immigration Laws are enforced and the rule of law is restored. The obamas policies of rubber stamping claims that the border and its out right probition on i. C. E. Officers from carrying out Critical Mission have left this nation increasingly at risk. The sky high credible asylum grant rates assures immigrants to make the dangerous journey to the United States. Aliens overran our border and credible fear and asylum claims increased ten fold. Simultaneously, i. C. E. Removals from the interior drops from 238,000 in 2009 to only 65,000 in 2016. The Trump Administration inherited a shell of Immigration Enforcement that it must now rebuild. I am pleased well hear today from witnesses who can fully explain the benefits of federal state and local cooperation and the detrimental effects of obstruction. The sanctuary communities have decided to make a political statement out of lawlessness. The decline detainer outcome report that i. C. E. Will now regularly issue will prove itself a useful tool in continually identifying these jurisdictions in the criminals they let out on to our streets. The government must discourage not encourage sanctuary policies and practices. Under dhss november 14th, 2014, departmental guidance, i. C. E. Was given stringent parameters regarding these aliens that was permitted to apprehend and seek to remove. Additional guidance ending the successful programs further constricted the parameters. This was sold to the American People as prioritizing i. C. E. s limited resources to go after only the worst of the worst. Yet the number of criminal aliens removed from the interior fell from 87,000 in fiscal 2014 to approximately 63,500 the following two fiscal years. Under president obama, it was widely understood that asylum officers should get to yes on credible fear determinations and requests for asylum. By any means necessary. Asylum laws were written to offer refuge to the truly persecuted and policies like this did nothing to advance those goals. Instead, those Obama Administration policies worked to encourage many aliens to seek asylum, with fraudulent stories. The new administration is taking steps to correct this and already the flow of illegal aliens across the border has significantly slowed. This problem is endemic and i look forward to hearing today from our witnesses on the best practices to address asylum fraud. Its my pleasure to recognize the Ranking Member of the subcommittee, ms. Cochran from california for five minutes for our Opening Statement. Thank you, mr. Chairman. The title of todays hearing implies that up until recently our Immigration Laws simply went unenforced. Nothing could be further from the truth. The past administration deported more immigrants than any other Previous Administration. The president as in obama, even earned the infamous nickname deporter in chief. But this massive increase in deportation never satisfied many republicans who repeatedly kept citing the supposed lack of enforcement as a reason not to pursue reform. These alternative facts were used time and again to avoid solving the real problem, our broken immigration system. Today, republicans control all levels of the federal government. But instead of finally tackling the problems affecting our immigration system, theyre focusing on attacking local governments with Community Trust policies. Among other things, President Trumps executive orders threaten to attempt to shame and attempt to withhold federal funds from jurisdictions that resist in the administrations opinion the federal governments request to cooperation with Immigration Enforcement. The constitution specifically the tenth amendment, protects states rights and it prohibits federal actions that commandeer state and local officials. When it comes to immigration, these principles somehow seem to be overlooked. Recently i was at a meeting where the mayor of san jose said, you know, we dont send out the San Jose Police department to enforce the security and exchange laws, the federal tax laws, the maritime laws, or the Immigration Laws. Thats the job of the federal government. There are wellknown constitutional limits on the ability of the federal governments to withhold funds to the states. State and local officials know their communities and know how to keep them safe better than the federal government. The constitutions longstanding principle is apparently either ignored or seen as an impediment by some people. In the recent executive order on interior enforcement, President Trump abolished the prior administrations enforcement priorities to go after all 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States just as candidate trump promised he would. While this agenda my satisfy the most extreme elements in our country it isnt smart. It does not make our country safer and it does not make our country stronger. And it has created a churl of fear. There are videos of parents taken from their children by armed i. C. E. Officers. There are stories of mothers who lived in this country for decades being deported after dutifully checking in to i. C. E. Apartments and there are threats from the department of Homeland Security to separate mothers from children for deterrence purposes. The fear caused by these acts is paralyzing communities across our country. Now, some may dismiss the heart break of many families across the country, but we shouldnt dismiss how it is making communities less safe. Weve already seen, for example, reports of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault drop dramatically among lateenoes in los angeles. We shouldnt dismiss the economic consequences these policies are sure to have. Its time to stop the posturing and starts thinking about ways to think our broken immigration system. I stand ready to work with my colleagues across the aisle to reform our Immigration Laws from top to bottom. With that, mr. Chairman, i would yield back the balance if i could, mr. Chairman, i would also ask unanimous consent to enter into the record statements from the following individuals and organizations expressing concerns about President Trumps Immigration Enforcement policies and that would be the National Immigration justice center, the chief of police of marshalltown, iowa. The retired chief of police of garden city, kansas. The National Task force and sexual and Domestic Violence, the massachusetts immigrant and refugee advocacy coalition, as well as a letter from 292 law professors and scholars saying that the president s executive order is unconstitutional. The gentleman from virginia and the chairman of the full committee, mr. Goodblat, is isnt senatin the snaenate. I wish him well. Well have to ask the voters every two years to send us back, dealing with the senators. And i would now recognize the Ranking Member, mr. Conyers of michigan for five minutes. Mr. Chairman, was the unanimous consent request without objection, the consent request will be granted. Thank, mr. Chairman. The gentlemen from michigan. Thank you, mr. Chairman and congratulations, again, on your ascension to the chairmanship of this important committee. Members of the committee, i want you all to know that i welcome all of our witnesses and look forward to their testimony. And i just like to remind you, i dont frequently quote former president reagan, but he once said our nation is a nation of immigrants. More than any other country, our strength comes from our own othr strength comes from our own immigrant heritage and our capacity to welcome those from other lands. That quote was uncontroversial among my republican friends and colleagues then and it should remain so now. Affirmation of the moral and social work of immigrants is not a partisan position, it is simply americas. As we begin todays hearing, i urge my colleagues to use this forum to examine sensible, effective measures rooted in fact and practice. For enforcing our laws and keeping our communities safe. One fact we must consider is that studies have repeatedly shown that immigrants in the United States are less likely than nativeborn americans to engage in crime. The vast majority of immigrants in the United States are peaceful, lawabiding individuals who support their families and communities. Another fact is that the southern border is more secure than ever. Apprehension rates at the southern border have plummeted since the 1980s and apprehensions of mexicans typically have reached their lowest point in nearly half a century. This helps plain why most americans dont want the trump border wall which would cost upwards the staggering 20 billion a bill and 750 million annually to maintain it is estimated. Now withstanding these facts, and others, the Current Administration continues to villa phi immigrants and attack the communitys that decided not to constrict their Law Enforcement into a mass Deportation Force. In fact, yesterday attorney general sessions threatened to withhold federal funds from such jurisdictions. Let me be clear, attorney general sessions should not subsa died for that of Law Enforcement and local jurisdictions who know what it is best to keep their community safe. The attorney general purports to place a high priority on fighting crime, but threatens to withhold much needed Justice Department funding from the very agencies that are on the frontline and protecting all of us. Over 600 counties and cities have made the decision to resist the administrations efforts to conscript their local officials into a mass Deportation Force because experience and data show that local enforcement of federal Immigration Law often makes communities less safe. It breeds profiling, discrimination, and distrust. Immigrant victims and witnesses stop reporting crimes to authorities and criminals grow emboldened. In fact, studies have shown that sanctuary cities are actually safer and more prosperous than theyre nonsanctuary counterparts. Finally, under the guise of enforcing the law, weve already witnessed donald trump and his administration follow through on Divisive Campaign rhetoric that threaten our core American Values and will do nothing to make us safer. To cite a few examples, in less than 90 days, this administration has already threatened an unconstitutional use of federal Spending Authority to strong arm local jurisdictions into enforcing federal Immigration Law, undermine two more points. Undermine the Fourth Amendment by pressuring cities into detaining immigrants without probable cause. And finally, as this conducted indiscriminate raise on peaceful immigrant families in their homes, places of work, and even in their schools. Such antiimmigrant measures not only raise serious constitutional concerns, but theyre contrary to our proud history as a nation of immigrants. I thank the chairman, welcome, again, the witnesses for their testimony today, and i yield back. Thank you. Without objection, other members Opening Statements will be made part of the record. We have a very distinguished panel today. I will begin by swearing in our witnesses before introducing them. If you would all please rise. Do you solemnly swear the testimony that youll give before this committee will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you god . Let the record show that all of the witnesses answered notice affirmative. I will begin by introducing the witnesses. Sheriff thomas m. Hodgeson was an elected official and the chief Law Enforcement officer in Bristol County massachusetts. Sheriff hodge son originally appointed in 1997 by governor william weld has subsequently been reelected to seven sixyear terms. Under his watch the Sheriffs Office has established a warrant apprehension unit, a drug task force, gang unit, works regularly with federal partners including ice. His department participates in the 287 g program and he along with other sheriffs has called for the Immigration Reform with the emphasis on Border Security and i tier yore enforcement. He previously testified before the massachusetts great and General Court regarding sanctuary policies. Ms. Jessica vaughan served as the director of policy studies with the Center Foreign policy immigration studies. In that role she studies numerous facets of immigration policy, including immigration Law Enforcement. Prior to this role, she served adds a Foreign Service officer with the state department and has testified before this committee on numerous immigration related matters, including at a similar hearing in 2015. Ms. Vaughan has a masters degree from Georgetown University and earned her batch lofrs degree in International Studies at Washington College in maryland. Mr. Andrew arch thur is the former staff director for the government reform and Oversight CommitteeNational Security subcommittee. Prior to serving as a staff director he was an immigration judge for the United States department of justice, executive office for immigration review of the new york pennsylvania court. He is also a fellow colleague of house judicial committee, subcommittee on immigration where he served as a council for five years advising the chairman, me, on matters relating to the enforcement of Immigration Laws and immigration policy. He has received his b. A. From the university of virginia and his law degree from the George WashingtonUniversity School of law. Ms. Archi pyati serves as the chief of policy and program she spear heads national and local policy program attic initiatives overseeing direct services to immigrant women and forging and mobilizing diverse bipartisan coalitions depressed for laws, regulations and policies to better protect them from violence. Before joining tyreeya, pyati was the Deputy Director of the Immigration Project of the sanctuary for families in new york. She is a graduate of Brown University and received her law degree from the university of michigan law school. Without objection to each of the witnesss written statements will be entered into the record in their entirety. I ask that each witness summarize his or her testimony in five minutes or less and to help to stay with that time limit, there are lights in front of you and you all know what they mean. So if sheriff hodge son, why dont y hodge so reason why dont you lead off. Press the button ton your mike. Thank you. Security guards and scanners greeted me this morning a walked into the office building. These measures are in place to protect the safety of everyone inside. Mem most people are cleared pretty quickly and go about their business. Its the others who intend to do us harm, those who have no respect for our laws that we have to worry about. Its those who the Capital Police must deny entry. We owe the same level of protection and safety to our legal residents. We must use all the tools in our toolboxes, share resources and intelligence to truly restore enforcement of our nations Immigration Laws for the safety and security of our citizens. Public safety is my number one priority. Public safety is your number one priority. Public safety is any governments and any government officials number one priority. Its w