S1450 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 14, 2016 EXECUTIVE SESSION Even more astonishing, she stated been returned to their home countries. unequivocally, ‘‘I will not deport chil- Yes, some may have received a depor- dren. I would not deport children.’’ As tation order from a court—usually EXECUTIVE CALENDAR I stated, this is pure opportunism. For after failing to appear for a hearing. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under instance, I imagine this child shown in Yet the Obama administration has the previous order, the Senate will pro- this poster would have liked Secretary made little to no effort to locate them. ceed to executive session to consider Clinton’s policy to have been in effect Therefore, it is fair to say the human the following nomination, which the during her husband’s administration. traffickers, the so-called coyotes, clerk will report. This is the famous picture of Elian weren’t wrong, and many Central The bill clerk read the nomination of Gonzalez, a 6-year-old Cuban boy who John B. King, of New York, to be Sec- American parents took an understand- reached our shores despite his mother able risk. After all, a life in America in retary of Education. tragically dying at sea. Elian’s U.S.- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the shadows—as advocates for amnesty based family pleaded with the Clinton the previous order, there will be 90 and open borders call it—may be pref- administration to grant him asylum, minutes of debate equally divided in erable to poverty and violence back as was our common custom for refu- the usual form. home. While these factors may have The Senator from Oklahoma. gees from communism, but President been the push factors in the migrant Mr. LANKFORD. I ask unanimous Clinton rejected those pleas, siding crisis, there can be no doubt that the consent that all time during quorum with the Castros. Federal agents pull factors of amnesty, deferred ac- calls between 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. today stormed the private residence and ap- tion, nonenforcement, economic oppor- be equally divided in the usual form. prehended Elian at gunpoint. Where tunity, and safety were just as strong, The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without was Secretary Clinton? I guess she if not stronger. objection, it is so ordered. didn’t have a no-kids policy back then. That is why even the Obama adminis- Mr. LANKFORD. I suggest the ab- But we don’t have to guess. The then- tration tried to address them. Presi- sence of a quorum. First Lady was campaigning for Senate dent Obama met with leaders of Hon- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The in New York. She opposed congres- clerk will call the roll. duras, Guatemala, and El Salvador to sional action to protect Elian and ad- seek their assistance. Vice President The bill clerk proceeded to call the vocated returning the boy to Cuba— roll. BIDEN flew to Guatemala and publicly contrary to a decades-long bipartisan urged parents not to believe the Mr. COTTON. Madam President, I consensus that we should grant safe ask unanimous consent that the order coyotes’ promises of amnesty. The Sec- harbor to refugees from totalitarian retary of Homeland Security Jeh John- for the quorum call be rescinded. Communist states. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Yet, the sad story of Elian Gonzalez son wrote an open letter to Central objection, it is so ordered. isn’t the most recent or harmful exam- American parents, and, yes, Hillary ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ple of her opportunism. Just two sum- Clinton got involved too. Secretary Mr. COTTON. Madam President, last mers ago, our country faced a migrant Clinton stated in 2014 that these chil- Thursday the Democratic candidates crisis on our southern border. Nearly dren ‘‘should be sent back as soon as it for President had a debate. They made 140,000 people—about half of them un- can be determined who responsible several extremely irresponsible state- accompanied kids—poured across our adults in their families are.’’ She in- ments about immigration policy. I op- border. Notably, most did not flee from sisted that ‘‘we have to send a clear pose their calls to reward mass illegal the Border Patrol or try to avoid cap- message: Just because your child gets immigration with blanket amnesty, ture; on the contrary, they ran to U.S. across the border, that doesn’t mean which would undermine the rule of law, border agents. the child gets to stay.’’ cost Americans jobs, drive down wages Why would brandnew illegal immi- That was the right position then, and for working Americans, and invite grants, having successfully crossed our it is the right position now, even if real more illegal immigration. border, turn themselves in? The answer action didn’t back up the Obama ad- But what must President Obama is simple: They have been led to believe ministration’s words, but that was think? After all, he has attempted to they would be allowed to stay. then, and this is now, in the middle of grant amnesty by fiat to over 5 million From the multiple administration another flailing Presidential campaign. illegal immigrants, although the memos instructing agents not to fully Secretary Clinton now says she would courts have blocked most of those am- enforce immigration law to President not deport children under any cir- nesties for now. Yet the Senator from Obama’s unlawful Executive amnesties, cumstances, not even those who just Vermont and Hillary Clinton both in- to the Senate’s own amnesty legisla- arrived or presumably those who arrive sisted that the President hadn’t gone tion, every signal from Washington in the future. far enough. They would expand on his said our political class lacked the will- We have come to expect such oppor- actions and go even further. In fact, a power to secure our borders and en- tunism from the ‘‘House of Clinton,’’ debate moderator called President force our immigration laws in the but even worse is the irresponsibility. Obama ‘‘the deporter in chief,’’ and country’s interior. Put yourself in the position of a des- Hillary Clinton tacitly accepted the Some might say these policies and perate parent in Central America. You characterization, saying she wouldn’t proposals wouldn’t have covered the live in Third World conditions. Work is deport nearly as many illegal immi- newly arrived immigrants; that they scarce. Food and water are a struggle. grants as President Obama has—which would have faced deportation. Perhaps, Power doesn’t always come on with the of course isn’t a terribly high bar to but what they signaled was a complete flip of a switch. Gangs control many of clear since deportations are down 42 unwillingness to enforce our immigra- the streets. Murder rates are some of percent since the start of President tion laws, just as amnesty granted in the highest in the world. You have Obama’s second term and last year de- 1986 invited another generation of ille- every reason to try to escape these portations hit a 10-year low. Still, I gal immigrants to migrate to our coun- conditions or at least get your kid out, can’t imagine President Obama is too try and wait for the next amnesty. but where to go? pleased with his would-be successor. These policies certainly gave the I also can’t imagine a more oppor- human traffickers who transported and You just got your answer. Hillary tunist and irresponsible position than abused these kids plenty of grounds to Clinton, one of the most famous people the one taken by Hillary Clinton. As tell desperate parents: Send your kid in the world—one of only six people she panders for votes, she limited de- north with me, and he will get a likely to be the next President of the portation priorities to violent crimi- permiso. In the end, they weren’t United States—just broadcast new nals and terrorists. Apparently, Sec- wrong. Nearly 2 years later, only a very hope to the world: You can come to the retary Clinton will welcome con art- tiny minority of unaccompanied chil- United States. ists, identity thieves, and other non- dren have been deported. In fact, more Of course, it is a peculiar kind of violent criminal illegal immigrants than 111,000 unaccompanied minors en- hope. She didn’t say go to our Embassy with outstretched arms into our coun- tered the United States illegally from and seek asylum. She certainly didn’t try. 2011 to 2015, but only 6 percent have say get on an airplane and fly safely to VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:53 Mar 15, 2016 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G14MR6.009 S14MRPT1 smartinez on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with SENATE March 14, 2016 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1451 the United States, nor will she ever here only if it is in our national inter- and nominees only began appearing be- take such massively unpopular posi- ests. America is a nation of immi- fore the committee regularly in the tions. Indeed, she essentially invited grants, but we are also a nation of past 60 years. you to take a life-or-death gamble: If laws. Secretary Clinton has not only In fact, the Constitution prescribes you survive the trip, you can stay. displayed contempt for our immigra- no specific structure or timeline for How is this moral? How is it compas- tion laws but also encouraged for- the confirmation process, and the Con- sionate to create incentives for such eigners to break those laws, to their stitution’s text and structure, as well reckless behavior? Hillary Clinton just own grave danger.