Abuse of U.S. Immigration System Creates Financial Burdens on American Taxpayers

Resources / Media Share on Abuse of U.S. Immigration System Creates Financial Burdens on American Taxpayers Jun 09, 2026 Media Press Hearing Wrap Up: Abuse of U.S. Immigration System Creates Financial Burdens on American Taxpayers – United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform House Oversight Committee | June 9th, 2026 WASHINGTON—Today, the Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses held a hearing titled “Amnesty and Chaos: Abuse of U.S. Immigration Policy.” During the hearing, members examined how prior presidential administrations and the amnesty lobby have weaponized the U.S. immigration system against Americans, pushed reckless open borders policies and engaged in frivolous litigation to stall enforcement of the law. Members also analyzed current tactics the radical left uses to undermine the Trump Administration’s efforts to strengthen the immigration system and keep Americans safe. Key Takeaways: The Biden Administration opened the border and allowed millions of illegal aliens to enter the country, paroled them en masse using a smartphone app, and granted backdoor amnesty by abusing Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations. Mark Krikorian, Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies, testified that “The two programs are immigration, parole and Temporary Protected Status. Presidents have used parole to allow in foreigners who have no right to be here in any number, anyone they want, for any reason, for as long as they want. And the presidents have used TPS to let people who have already illegally entered the country stay indefinitely. And the key in both cases is that the point is to get work permits and social security numbers into the hands of illegal immigrants, so it’s harder to deport them in the future. Those two programs are the pillars of a shadow immigration system operated across administrations to circumvent immigration limits enacted by Congress.” Matt O’Brien, Deputy Executive Director of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), testified that “For decades, administrations of both parties have selectively ignored portions of the Immigration and Nationality Act, or INA, when those provisions were viewed as politically inconvenient. As a result, the agencies charged with enforcing our immigration laws have too often relied on inconsistent regulations, shifting policy memoranda and operational guidance that depart from the text and the intent of the laws enacted by Congress. To put it plainly, the executive branch has repeatedly substituted policy preferences for statutory requirements.” Activist groups are engaged in frivolous litigation and forum shopping to slow down and thwart the Trump Administration’s efforts to restore integrity to our immigration system and keep Americans safe. Mr. O’Brien also stated that “At the same time, some states have sought to exempt themselves from federal immigration enforcement, despite long standing Supreme Court precedent recognizing immigration as primarily a federal responsibility. The result has been a confusing and often contradictory system that undermines public confidence and creates incentives for further violations of the law. During my 30 years working in immigration law and policy, I often heard a phrase repeated by immigration officers and DHS attorneys: ‘The case isn’t over until the alien wins.’ That sentiment reflected a growing belief that the system increasingly prioritized delay and loopholes over consistent enforcement of the law. Now, historically, our immigration system operated on the principle that foreign nationals seeking admission to the U.S. or immigration benefits within the U.S. had the burden of establishing eligibility under the law. Legally, that framework still exists. In practice, however, many modern policies have treated virtually every humanitarian or discretionary program, including parole, TPS, and asylum, as opportunities to create broad exemptions to statutory limits established by Congress.” Activist groups bring frivolous legal challenges to efforts to secure the border and end TPS designations that have persisted for decades. Some District Court judges nevertheless continue to rule against securing the border and protecting American citizens in favor of illegal aliens. It should not take months or years to enforce immigration laws while waiting for the Supreme Court to strike down activist lower court judges. The plain language of the Immigration and Nationality Act supports the President’s authority to enforce immigration laws, including ending TPS designations. Member Highlights: Task Force Chairman Brandon Gill (R-Texas) grilled Chris Newman, General Counsel and Legal Director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), on whether he and his organization supported giving American taxpayer-funded unemployment benefits to illegal aliens. Task Force Chairman Gill: “There are fewer illegal aliens coming into the c