House bill would mirror Cruz proposal on deportations

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) has introduced a bill to prohibit federal funding to implement the program deferring deportations for some undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children.

Blackburn’s measure is the House companion to the bill introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to defund the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA) program. President Obama issued an executive order in 2012 to delay deportations of people who immigrated to the U.S. when they were under 18 before 2007.

{mosads}Cruz has urged including his bill as part of an emergency funding package to address the influx of child migrants crossing the border.

Blackburn blamed President Obama’s 2012 executive order for misleading immigrants from Central America into thinking they would be allowed to stay in the U.S.

“Central American children have fled to the United States based on a false hope that they will be allowed to remain permanently,” Blackburn said. “This false hope created by the Obama Administration is putting children’s lives in danger as they are escorted by individuals who have been known to abuse these children during their journey and even leave some for dead.”

Cruz said that approving supplemental funds without including a change to the DACA program would not truly address the issue of the child migrant surge.

“I am honored to work with Rep. Blackburn on this critical legislation,” Cruz said. “The only way to stop the border crisis is to stop President Obama’s amnesty.”