Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar has reported that approximately 30 countries are unwilling to accept the deportations of illegal immigrants who have committed serious crimes in the U.S.
The congressman from Texas also said that the U.S.is still issuing visas and student visas to citizens of those countries despite them refusing to take the deported immigrants.
Cuellar has reported that there is a law that allows the U.S. to hold visas from a country that is not taking back it criminals. The U.S. has not yet enforced the law.
Cuellar told Sharyl Attkisson, host of Full Measure, in an interview that it’s amazing that U.S. is not enforcing the law.
He also said that he intends to go back to his committee on appropriations and affect their funding until they comply.
Cuellar is a Democratic member of the House Committee on Appropriations.
He told Attkisson that the Supreme Court has ruled that illegal immigrants arrested for criminal activity can only be held for a certain period of time before they must be released.
The criminal aliens end up being released into the streets because their countries refuse to take them back.
The U.S. ought to do something on such countries. In the meantime, the law states clearly on what should be done to such countries. Their visas should be held until they take back their criminal aliens.
Cuellar has not been afraid to break with some of his party leadership on the controversial immigration issues.
He was one of the most feared critics to the former President Barack Obama.
Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn and Cuellar joined hands back in 2014. They helped in passing a bill that would speed up the deportation of unaccompanied minors.
Democrats were not pleased by Cuellar’s stance on the bill.
The Congressman said that there are many countries that refuses to take illegal immigrants that are convicted of crimes. Such countries include China, Cuba and Vietnam.
Diplomacy has contributed greatly in the government’s refusal to enforce the law. The Department of State and other federal agencies do not want to upset other foreign nations.
Cuellar has said that diplomacy should not be an excuse to put American lives in danger.The State Department is solely focused on diplomacy. Cuellar noted that he understands the importance of diplomacy. He also insisted the importance of preventing convicted criminals from returning to American neighborhoods.
The congressman told Attkisson that he plans to push for the U.S. government to withhold visas from countries that fail to take back their criminal aliens.
