Challenging the Biden Administration’s Immigration Policy

Parsing Immigration Policy, Episode 71

By Mark Krikorian and Todd Rokita on September 15, 2022

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Podcast

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Summary

On this week’s episode of Parsing Immigration Policy, Todd Rokita, the 44th Attorney General of the state of Indiana, discusses legal actions his state has taken to combat illegal immigration. Attorney General Rokita has taken on a leadership role in challenging the Biden administration’s lack of immigration enforcement.

AG Rokita says, “The foundational part of our ‘American Exceptionalism’ is the rule of law and we’re nothing if we’re not going to follow the law… and we’re not all under it.” Due to a lack of enforcement of immigration laws, there are over 124,000 illegal immigrants in the state of Indiana, putting a strain on Indiana’s social services and driving up crime and fentanyl overdose numbers in the state.

“We are all border states, including Indiana,” under the Biden administration’s policies, says AG Rokita.

Numerous lawsuits were filed by Democratic states to block various immigration programs that President Donald Trump attempted to implement to deter fraud and constrain illegal immigration. Now, as Congress fails to act, Republican AGs are following suit against the Biden administration. As AG Rokita puts it, “It’s a tool in my toolbox.”

In his closing commentary, Mark Krikorian, the Center’s executive director and host of Parsing Immigration Policy, highlights the executive branch’s usurpation of Congress’ plenary power over immigration policy and calls on Congress to remove discretion in immigration areas from the executive. As an example of executive overreach, Krikorian cites the refugee resettlement program which is now overlooking real refugees in need of resettlement in favor of new categories of people.

Host

Mark Krikorian is the Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies.

Guest

Todd Rokita is the Attorney General of the state of Indiana.

Related

Panel: Fighting Biden in Court

Republican Governors Form Border Strike Force

The Refugee Resettlement Program Is Losing Its Reason for Being

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Intro Montage

Voices in the opening montage:

  • Sen. Barack Obama at a 2005 press conference.
  • Sen. John McCain in a 2010 election ad.
  • President Lyndon Johnson, upon signing the 1965 Immigration Act.
  • Booker T. Washington, reading in 1908 from his 1895 Atlanta Exposition speech.
  • Laraine Newman as a "Conehead" on SNL in 1977.
  • Hillary Clinton in a 2003 radio interview.
  • Cesar Chavez in a 1974 interview.
  • House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaking to reporters in 2019.
  • Prof. George Borjas in a 2016 C-SPAN appearance.
  • Sen. Jeff Sessions in 2008 comments on the Senate floor.
  • Charlton Heston in "Planet of the Apes".