Unanimous Consent Request—S. 890 (Cong. Rec., March 24, 2021)

Summary

Congressional Record, Senate, pages S1736 and S1737, March 24, 2021. Under the heading Unanimous Consent Request—S. 890, Mr. Cruz speaks about the situation at the southern border, mentions Kate Steinle, and asks unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from S. 890, that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration, and that the bill be read a third time and passed. Under the heading Unanimous Consent Request—S. 903, Mrs. Blackburn describes the End Child Trafficking Now Act, which would require DNA tests for adult migrants claiming kinship with a minor, and asks for consideration of the bill; the response is an objection. Earlier remarks oppose the nomination of Ms. Gupta to serve as Associate Attorney General.

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“Unanimous Consent Request—S. 890 (Cong. Rec., March 24, 2021).” Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2021-03-24-crec-2021-03-24-pt1-pgs1736-2-1ace1a4ef4/, SHA-256 465982c191c17a2fc4c63ccd3c8d53ee5ec2b5e36f45f6e4b035fea421b8342b.

Full text

S1736 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 24, 2021
She has financially benefited whether that, over the past decade, they have vacy and the storage of that informa-
she knew it at the time or not, but she seen a 1,675-percent increase in asylum tion.
won’t even admit it. As a result, any cases. I would be more than happy to sit
case that has a nexus to drugs brought In 2019, Immigration and Customs down with my colleague from Ten-
by the Department of Justice while she Enforcement implemented a pilot DNA nessee in the context of a larger discus-
is at the helm will have a giant cloud testing program to try to stop this sion about immigration reform to see
cast over it. rampant exploitation. They found that how we can ensure that we include pro-
Finally, what I find most troubling, 20 percent of all kinship claims they visions to prevent child trafficking, but
in addition to her lack of candor, is were able to screen were lies—20 per- I don’t think this bill as drafted will
that Ms. Gupta has shown absolutely cent. actually accomplish that goal, and so I
no remorse for the harm done by This is a humanitarian crisis, an en- object.
Avantor in facilitating the manufac- vironmental crisis, and a health and The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ob-
ture and sale of heroin here in the safety crisis. The Biden administration jection is heard.
United States. I estimate that, in the has lost control of this situation, but The Senator from Tennessee.
last 10 years, more than 100,000 Ameri- there are things we can do right now to Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam Presi-
cans have died of drug overdoses asso- protect these children and put the dent, I think my colleague understands
ciated with heroin. So I cannot support smugglers in check. that this bill would apply to individ-
the nomination of Ms. Gupta to serve This week, I introduced the End uals, to adults who cannot show kin-
as Associate Attorney General, and I Child Trafficking Now Act, which ship and do not have legal documenta-
urge all of my colleagues to oppose her would require our border agents to ad- tion.
We know that human trafficking, sex
nomination as well. minister DNA tests to adult migrants
trafficking, and child trafficking have
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- claiming kinship with a minor without
become a major industry. We know
ator from Tennessee. migrants’ having the legal documenta-
that child recycling is a practice that
UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—S. 903 tion to prove it.
is used by the cartels. We know that
Mrs. BLACKBURN. Madam Presi- If the adult refuses, they will be im-
they are using this to move adults into
dent, last month alone, more than mediately deported. Furthermore, the
the country; thereby, this is something
100,000 migrants crossed our southern bill mandates a 10-year penalty for all
that would put the cartels in check and
border. Our ports of entry are overrun; alien adults who lie about their rela-
show that we are not going to stand for
holding facilities are packed; and, yes, tionship with a minor.
them recycling children, claiming kin-
our Border Patrol agents are abso- The test is simple. It takes about 90
ship to children who are not theirs, and
lutely exhausted. They are exhausted. minutes. Ninety minutes could mean
trying to move drug smugglers and car-
This isn’t just a logistical challenge; it the difference between that child find-
tel members into this country.
is a tragedy made worse by the Biden ing safety in the United States and Mr. PADILLA. Madam President, I
administration’s disastrous open bor- that child being dragged back to a car- suggest the absence of a quorum.
ders policies. tel. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
The crisis is escalating, especially for We are on pace to see 17,000 more un- clerk will call the roll.
the tens of thousands of children who accompanied minors arrive this month. The senior assistant legislative clerk
have arrived in this country very much ICE proved this testing strategy can proceeded to call the roll.
alone. Unaccompanied minors ac- help protect them. There is no valid, Mr. CRUZ. Madam President, I ask
counted for nearly 10 percent of all mi- fact-based reason not to do it. unanimous consent that the order for
grants who crossed our border last Madam President, as if in legislative the quorum call be rescinded.
month. That is roughly 10,000 children session, I ask unanimous consent that The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms.
a month walking into chaos. the Judiciary Committee be discharged BALDWIN). Without objection, it is so
Anyone paying a bit of attention from further consideration of S. 903 and ordered.
knows what is going on here. Customs the Senate proceed to its immediate UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—S. 890
and Border Protection has been sound- consideration. Further, I ask unani- Mr. CRUZ. Madam President, I rise
ing the alarm on the connection be- mous consent that the bill be consid- today to bring attention to the serious
tween children and human trafficking ered read a third time and passed and humanitarian crisis at our southern
for years. The coyotes, the cartels, and that the motion to reconsider be con- border. Right now, as we speak, thou-
the gangs use children as drug mules. sidered made and laid upon the table. sands of children have entered the
They use them as sex slaves. If you The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there United States illegally and sit in
don’t believe me, ask anyone with the an objection? crowded detention centers wrapped up
CBP why they administer pregnancy The Senator from California. in emergency blankets, hundreds, even
tests to little girls as young as 13 as Mr. PADILLA. Reserving the right to thousands, of miles away from home.
soon as they arrive at the border. object, Madam President, I share my They are without their families and
This is a heartbreaking situation. colleague’s desire to prevent child traf- without their parents. Many of them
These children are living in hell, and it ficking. Trust me, as a parent, I know have been trafficked and have been
is getting worse. False claims of family it is a laudable goal. But as drafted—as physically and sexually abused along
ties have fueled a rise in fraudulent drafted—this bill would create enor- the way.
asylum claims and in human traf- mous and instant chaos at airports U.S. Customs and Border Protection
ficking. Adult migrants are making ar- around the country and every other reported that just last month alone,
rangements with cartels and smugglers port of entry. 29,792 unaccompanied children came
to borrow children. They claim kinship As written, it would require every across our border, including 2,942 chil-
and use that relationship to bolster a foreign family who seeks admission to dren under the age of 12. All of these
fraudulent asylum claim. And what do the United States, even just for a fam- children came here without their par-
they do when they have gotten what ily vacation, to have a third party wit- ents, and they have come here in large
they want? They send the child back ness a test to their affiliation or else numbers because they know that Presi-
across the border to start the entire submit to a DNA test. I can’t imagine dent Biden is promising them amnesty.
nightmarish process with another any of our airports have the resources The illegal immigrants coming
stranger. That is correct. This is called to implement this. It would simply across our southern border right now

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child recycling, but I think ‘‘recycling’’ lead to the same chaos we saw after the are not just children. President Biden’s
is an odd choice of words to describe implementation of President Trump’s Secretary of Homeland Security,
one human being treating another Muslim ban, or worse, it would over- Alejandro Mayorkas, has said: ‘‘We are
human being like a piece of garbage. whelm our law enforcement officials on pace to encounter more individuals
Again, this is heartbreaking. and create bottlenecks at customs for on the southwest border than we have
If you want to get an idea of how big citizens and noncitizens alike, not to in the last 20 years.’’
a problem we have, consider that the mention the many legal and ethical In February, more than 100,000 illegal
Department of Homeland Security says questions as it pertains to genetic pri- immigrants came across our southern

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March 24, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1737
border, according to the U.S. Customs I have had the opportunity to meet mon sense and protect the American
and Border Protection, which is 3 times Kate Steinle’s family. They don’t un- citizens.
the number of illegal immigrants who derstand why our system is broken. For that reason, as if in legislative
came through the southern border in They don’t understand why we keep session, I ask unanimous consent that
February of 2019, and it is almost 6 letting in violent, criminal, illegal the Committee on the Judiciary be dis-
times the number of illegal immigrants aliens over and over and over again. charged from further consideration of
who came through our southern border And I will tell you, the American peo- S. 890, and that the Senate proceed to
in February of 2018. ple—roughly 80 percent of Americans— its immediate consideration; further, I
The Biden administration refuses to agree with Kate’s Law. This is com- ask unanimous consent that the bill be
call this a crisis, but that is what it is. monsense legislation. considered read a third time and passed
We have a humanitarian crisis, and we We are about to see a Democrat ob- and that the motion to reconsider be
also have a security crisis. ject to it because today’s Democratic considered made and laid upon the
Of the over 100,000 illegal immigrants Party doesn’t care what the American table.
who came here in February, 71 percent people say. But if this were in the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there
of them are single adults, according to realm of sanity, Kate’s Law would pass objection?
the Pew Research Center. 100 to nothing. Look, we can have dis- Mr. LUJÁN. Reserving the right to
The Biden administration’s policy object.
agreements about legal immigration,
has been to welcome these illegal im- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The jun-
about what the rules are, but when it
migrants and to halt or slow deporta- ior Senator from New Mexico.
comes to violent, criminal, illegal
tions as much as possible. When Joe Mr. LUJÁN. Madam President, there
aliens who enter the country illegally
Biden became President, he imme- is not a single Democratic Senator in
over and over and over again, it ought
diately halted construction of the bor- this body who believes that someone
to be real simple. We ought to be able
der wall. He ended the ‘‘Remain in who commits a violent crime should
to come together as Democrats and Re-
Mexico’’ policy, an incredible foreign not feel the full weight of the U.S. judi-
policy victory President Trump nego- publicans and say: All right, let’s draw
the line there. We don’t need more cial system for their crimes. I hope my
tiated with Mexico, which stipulated friend from Texas would agree with
that illegal immigrants from Central murderers in America.
I have spent a lot of time down in the that. I don’t think there is a Member
America crossing illegally through
valley and at the Texas border. I have in this body—Democratic, Republican,
Mexico to seek asylum in the United
spent a lot of time with agents from Independent, the staff—not a one. I
States would stay in Mexico during the
the Border Patrol. Tomorrow, I am think the same holds true for our col-
pendency of their proceedings. Presi-
going back to the border to see for my- leagues who work just down the cor-
dent Biden ended that, ripping apart
self what the conditions are like right ridor from us in the U.S. House of Rep-
that international agreement, and, in-
now. I am leading a delegation of 17 resentatives.
stead, he reinstated the failed policy of
other Senators, and we are going to go Now, we must do everything in our
catch-and-release.
So now when we apprehend illegal talk to Customs and Border Patrol power to make certain that those en-
immigrants, we let them go, including agents. We are going to meet with CBP gaged in violent crimes face prosecu-
illegal immigrants who are criminals leadership. We are going to meet with tion and feel the full weight of the law.
and who are convicted criminals guilty law enforcement and community lead- That is not just bipartisan; that is the
of violent crimes. President Biden’s po- ers. We are going to tour the detention right thing to do.
litical decisions have produced a crisis facilities directly. Where I disagree with my colleague
and a crisis that is growing. Now, you may not see that on TV be- is the assertion that immigrants are
What the Biden administration has cause the Biden administration is re- inherently criminal. They are not.
made clear in the last 2 months is that fusing to allow the press to see the fa- They are people whom our kids go to
their priority is illegal immigrants and cilities. For 4 years, Democrats went school with, whom we work with, who
not American citizens. That is why, in on and on and on about kids in cages. grow our food in America, who work to
just a moment, I am going to propound Now, those cages were built by Barack prepare that food or even stock the
a unanimous consent request that the Obama, and they are bigger and fuller shelves, teach in classrooms, serve in
Senate pass Kate’s Law. Kate’s Law is under Joe Biden. And the Biden admin- the U.S. military defending our free-
named for Kate Steinle, who was 32 istration doesn’t want you to see the doms in the United States of America.
years old when she was tragically Biden cages. So they have declared a So to my friend from Texas, this
killed on a San Francisco peer by an il- media blackout, that reporters are not seems to be a continuance of the harm-
legal immigrant who had several fel- allowed. ful proposals from the Trump adminis-
ony convictions and had been deported The Trump administration allowed tration. I certainly think that many of
from the United States not once, not the media to go to the border. The my colleagues from the other side of
twice, not three times, not even four Obama administration allowed the the aisle in the U.S. Senate also dis-
times. He had been deported five times. media to go to the border. The Bill agree with the hateful pronouncements
By the revolving door of our border, Clinton administration allowed the from Steve Miller. This feels like a
this violent criminal kept being de- media to go to the border. The George continuance of that, to strike fear in
ported, and he kept coming back, and W. Bush administration allowed the Americans and to breed distrust in im-
he kept coming back, and he kept com- media to go to the border. But Joe migrants.
ing back. And beautiful Kate Steinle Biden wants to cover up the crisis that Now, I agree with my colleague that
was shot and killed because of our bro- his administration has created, and it we have to work together to stop that
ken immigration system. is a crisis that, sadly, Senate Demo- false narrative. This false narrative
Kate’s Law is commonsense legisla- crats are complicit in creating as well. must stop because it is not contrib-
tion. It would amend Federal law to We have yet to have a single Senate uting to fixing the broken immigration
impose a mandatory minimum sen- Democrat willing to break with the system we have in the United States.
tence of 5 years for any illegal reentry Biden administration on the unfolding I agree with my colleague that we
offense. Kate’s Law is critical to ensur- humanitarian crisis on the border. The should come together and work in a bi-
ing that illegal immigrants who have worse it gets, the more kids who are partisan way to learn from one an-
been deported, especially those with abused, the more kids who are as- other. I am new to this Chamber, but I

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violent criminal records, are deterred saulted, the more Americans who are am not new to these challenges.
from repeatedly entering the country put at risk of COVID, and the more I certainly hope that my colleagues
illegally over and over and over again. Americans who are put at risk of vio- who are traveling to the border—and I
If the illegal immigrant, violent crimi- lent crime. At some point, I hope and commend them for doing so because
nal who killed Kate Steinle had been in pray we will see Senate Democrats this is an important conversation we
prison for illegally entering the United willing to say: Enough is enough. It is should be having. I hope they travel to
States the fifth time, Kate would still time to stop being angry partisans, and Matamoros. I don’t know if my col-
be here today. it is time to come together with com- league from Texas has done that. I did.

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S1738 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 24, 2021
I traveled down there with a group of I said: How about child molesters? Actions mean more than words, and,
colleagues. We had a chance to visit Surely, we can all agree child molest- unfortunately, the actions of today’s
with the Border Patrol in El Paso. We ers are not worthy of a $1,400 taxpayer Democratic Party are extreme and out
had a chance to visit with Border Pa- government bonus given by the Demo- of touch with the American people we
trol in Antelope Wells in New Mexico crats. The Democrats objected. were elected to represent.
and Lordsburg in New Mexico. We have So with all due respect to my friend I yield the floor.
had the honor of traveling down into from New Mexico, it is not the case The PRESIDING OFFICER. The jun-
the Rio Grande Valley, down to that Democrats support holding pris- ior Senator from Florida.
Brownsville. We had a chance to visit oners to account. UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—S. 948
with folks on the frontlines, not just Today, in the Rules Committee, the Mr. SCOTT of Florida. Madam Presi-
wearing the green uniform of our Bor- Democrats are pushing forward an elec- dent, I rise today to discuss another
der Patrol and those working with the tion bill, the Corrupt Politicians Act, issue in the Democrats’ massive COVID
Department of Homeland Security but which would allow every felon in Amer- spending bill that we need to fix.
those who are also providing humani- ica who has been released from prison My Democratic colleagues want to
tarian relief. to vote. It would allow murderers to keep spending into oblivion, taking our
Those camps in Matamoros that I vote, rapists to vote, child molesters to national debt to $30 trillion. This
went to, they still exist. And one of the vote. So it is not the case that Demo- would be bad enough on its own, but
questions that needs to be asked is, crats are willing to stand up to violent tucked into the bloated spending pack-
What are these kids going through? crime. age were new tax hikes on self-em-
What are they thinking about to travel Now, there are a couple of things ployed individuals.
thousands of miles because of the con- that the Senator from New Mexico said President Biden and the Democrats
cerns that they have for their own that I wrote down. He said the only didn’t talk about it, and they certainly
health and well-being? I hope we can thing he disagreed with was ‘‘the asser- aren’t talking about it as they travel
have that conversation and solve this tion that immigrants are inherently the Nation to brag about their bad bill.
problem. So let’s find a way to work criminal.’’ Well, I challenge anyone Democrats are quietly raising taxes,
together. watching this exchange to read the hoping the American people don’t no-
I have said it before, and I will say it transcript. tice. The $1.9 trillion so-called Amer-
again: We need to go after criminals I am glad he disagrees with that as- ican Rescue Plan Act, of which less
and felons, not children and families. sertion. That assertion never came
than 10 percent went to actually help
In truth, I think we can get there. from my mouth. I am the son of an im-
fight COVID and 1 percent to vaccines,
So as I close, I just say: Let’s be a migrant who came from Cuba. We are a
had several tax increases and burden-
beacon of hope to the most vulnerable. nation of immigrants. I am not re-
some reporting requirements, includ-
Let’s make sure we go after these motely asserting that immigrants are
ing one that significantly impacts the
criminals and felons, wherever they inherently criminal. There is a right
gig workers—those who have been se-
may be, and they feel the full weight of way to come, and that is to come le-
verely impacted by the coronavirus
the law. But when it comes to the bro- gally.
But case law isn’t about immigrants pandemic.
ken immigration system in America, Starting in 2022, this bill requires
let’s work together to fix it. generally; it only applies to criminals.
It is immigrants that have a criminal many contractors with gig economy
Therefore, I object. companies like Uber, DoorDash,
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- conviction, that have an aggravated
felony conviction. So when my friend Airbnb, and Lyft to file 1099 forms
tion is heard.
from New Mexico says that we need to when they previously would not have.
Mr. CRUZ. Madam President.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- focus on felons—and he closed his re- The new requirement dramatically
ator from Texas. marks with the following: ‘‘We need to lowers the annual 1099 reporting
Mr. CRUZ. Madam President, I appre- go after criminals and felons, not chil- threshold from $20,000 and 200 trans-
ciate the warm sentiments of the Sen- dren and families’’—the case law does actions to just $600 and eliminates the
ator from New Mexico, but the Amer- exactly that. transaction minimum.
ican people can distinguish the dif- If the Senator from New Mexico be- In late February, before the Demo-
ference between talk and action. lieves the words he said, the next words crats rushed their spending bill
The Senator from New Mexico sug- out of his mouth would not have been through Congress on a purely partisan
gested that all Democrats support ‘‘I object.’’ By virtue of objecting, he basis, a coalition of groups wrote to
holding criminals to account. I would prevented us from, in a bipartisan way, Speaker PELOSI and Leader SCHUMER,
suggest the facts are precisely to the going after criminals and felons. Case asking that this onerous new provision,
contrary. law is targeted at those criminals and which has nothing to do with address-
Just 2 weeks ago, on the floor of this felons. It is not targeted at kids; it is ing the coronavirus crisis, be removed
body, we introduced an amendment to targeted at criminals and felons. or at least reconsidered. The letter was
provide that $1,400 government stim- I would ask the Senator from New signed by groups such as the Small
ulus checks should not go to criminals Mexico and every Senate Democrat: Business and Entrepreneurship Coun-
currently in prison. Every single Sen- What would you say to Kate Steinle’s cil, the National Asian American
ate Democrat voted against that. That family? I have heard them testify in Chamber of Commerce, National Asso-
amendment failed by one vote. If even the Senate Judiciary Committee. I ciation for the Self-Employed, United
one Democrat had said ‘‘OK, that is have visited with them personally. If States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce,
reasonable,’’ it would have passed. you were looking them in the eyes, and the National Association of Women
Yesterday, I introduced multiple what would you say to a system where Business Owners.
unanimous consent requests to stop Kate Steinle’s murderer was deported After receiving such a letter, one
money from going to convicted crimi- five times—multiple criminal convic- would think that Democrats would
nals in prison and to send the money tions? want to reconsider. Raising taxes and
instead to the Crime Victims Fund. A I am the original author of Kate’s reporting requirements in the midst of
Democrat objected. Law. We have voted on this on the Sen- a pandemic? This is never good policy,
I then said: All right, if you don’t ate floor multiple times. Every time but I can’t think of any worse timing.
want to do all criminals, how about we have voted, every single Democratic Of course, Democrats kept the provi-

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murderers? Can we agree, if you were Senator has voted against Kate’s Law. sion buried deep within the bill, hoping
convicted of homicide, if you killed You don’t get to vote against Kate’s the American public wouldn’t notice.
somebody, let’s not send you a govern- Law, you don’t get to vote against The Democrats’ new reporting re-
ment check; let’s send it to the Crime stopping violent criminals from repeat- quirements are effectively a tax hike
Victims Fund? The Democrats ob- edly entering the country illegally, and and will ultimately hurt low- and mid-
jected. then claim you are against violent dle-income contractors, the self-em-
I said: All right, how about rapists? criminals repeatedly entering the ployed, and freelancers, many of whom
The Democrats objected. country illegally. have been devastated by the pandemic,

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