Cuccinelli: White House actions on immigration coming in ‘next few months’

Acting United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Ken Cuccinelli said Sunday that the Trump administration is exploring potential actions it can take on immigration and asylum policies in the coming months without Congress.

“There’s some coming over the next few months like public charge rule,” Cuccinelli told CBS’ “Face the Nation,” referencing administration proposals that would deny green cards to applicants it believes would likely use means-tested services like Medicaid.

{mosads}Cuccinelli said the White House is also exploring its options regarding the 1997 Flores v. Reno settlement, which regulates the government’s ability to detain minors.

Cuccinelli told CBS that in the meantime, however, the White House could not change statutory definitions of who is able to claim asylum. “We’re trying to make the system work better,” he told CBS’ Margaret Brennan.

“Part of what we have to analyze [for each possible action] is, ‘does Congress have to do this?’” he added.

Asked by Brennan why action was not taken when Republicans held both the House and Senate, Cuccinelli said “I think the effort was being made and Congress wasn’t responsive.”

President Trump had previously threatened a series of sweeping Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids on major cities in June before announcing it would be paused for two weeks to allow Congress to address asylum laws.