WASHINGTON, DC (WSAU) — Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson continued hearings on Border Security on Wednesday in Washington.
This is the third session in nine days in front of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Johnson wants to focus on issues that are effecting transnational crime and the general insecurity of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Senator Ron Johnson asked former Administrator Adolfo Franco from the U.S. Agency for International Development to explain why there continues to be a surge of immigrants coming from Central America after the Obama administration pushed for loosened restrictions on children immigrants. “The conditions were similar in 2009, 2010, 2011. Other than Deferred Action on Childhood Admissions occurring in 2012, did something else change?” Franco laid the blame on the changes in policy under President Obama and said that most of the minors coming into the country are from Central America because it’s harder to deport people under current laws.
Looking at the causes for the rush of people out of central America, Johnson asked Ambassador Roger Noriega about the corruption in Central America and America’s role in decreasing that corruption. “To what extent has Central America improved their governments, reduced levels of corruption, that we could have some assurance that if we spend more money down there it’s going to be put to good use? Is there any evidence of that?” Noriega told the committee that the US needs to respond with stronger law enforcement and sanctions against the corrupt to show governments our stance on corruption is shifting.
Senator Ron Johnson says that Congress has attempted to pass bill after bill reforming immigration policy, and asked Homeland Security Chief Diplomatic Officer Alan Bersin what effect any of that has had. “What in the Senate comprehensive immigration bill would have actually reduced incentives for illegal immigration?” Bersin says the latest bills have provided 18 billion dollars a year in technology and improvements on the border.
Johnson and the committee will be heading to Wisconsin on Monday to take part in the congressional hearing at the Tomah VA Center.
