Q&A: Turning Promises into Policy Realities

Q: What’s your take on the first week of the new Trump administration?
A:On January 20, President Trump was sworn into office, becoming only the second U.S. president to serve non-consecutive terms. With his historic comeback victory, voters delivered a clear mandate to the White House and Congress. President Trump led on a commonsense agenda to restore law and order, secure our borders and fix the damage the Biden administration did to the economy through inflationary spending. In addition, the Biden administration rewired sectors of the economy with government mandates and regulatory overreach to push its climate agenda that weakened U.S. energy security and raised the cost of living for Americans. President Trump wasted no time to signal his administration would work tounleash America’s natural resourcesto strengthen U.S. energy and national security.
On his very first day in office, President Trump delivered on promises to secure the border and restore energy dominance. For example, he reversed President Biden’s immigration policies that allowed more than 10 million people to enter the country without our permission in the past four years. President Trump signed executive orders thatdeclare a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico borderenabling the administration to continue construction on the border wall; resume a policy that requires people seeking asylum to wait in Mexico while an immigration judge considers their case; enforcetheDNA Fingerprint Act(apolicy I pushed during the Biden administration) to curb human trafficking and help law enforcement track down violent criminals; trim the refugee resettlement program; prevent the entry of illegal border crossings; and direct the Secretary of State to look intodesignating cartelsas foreign terrorist organizations. As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has oversight and legislative jurisdiction over the nation’s immigration laws, I’m focused on working with this administration to help turn President Trump’s promises to secure the border and stop the flow of illegal immigration into policy realities.
Q: What was the first piece of legislation Congress sent to the president’s desk?
A: To kick off the 119thCongress, I’m happy to report legislation I co-led with Sen. Joni Ernst for nearly 10 years was included in the first bill sent to President Trump. Our bill is named after a young Iowan from Council Bluffs who was killed in 2016 by an illegal immigrant who was driving drunk. Sarah Root lost her life just 16 hours after graduating with honors from Bellevue University. The driver was released on bail and never seen again, evading justice. Our bill would require that illegal immigrants who kill or commit serious bodily injury to another person are detained and prosecuted. The Senate approvedSarah’s Lawas an amendment to legislation named afterLaken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student killed in Georgia last year by an illegal immigrant from Venezuela. Previous to her murder, her killer had been arrested for shoplifting, but then released. TheLaken Riley Actwill require U.S. immigration officials to detain illegal immigrants who commit certain crimes, including robbery, theft and assaulting a police officer. As an original co-sponsor of these bills, I’m glad to help restore law and order on our streets and deliver justice to victims of crime. As Senate President pro tempore, Isigned the bill on Capitol Hillbefore sending it to the president’s desk for his signature. The American people deserve and expect nothing less. If illegal immigrants hurt or kill someone in America, the federal government must prioritize their detention, prosecution and deportation. It’s common sense.