A peek into what the Democrats might do

Each year, legislators introduce thousands of bills and resolutions into the United States Congress with the hopes they’ll become law. In fact, since 1999 a whopping 132,528 potential pieces of legislation have been proposed and debated, with slightly less than 3.3% of those bills eventually becoming law.

Even though tens of thousands of bills wind up in the shredder and essentially fade into oblivion, there are still threatening, potentially treacherous laws circulating within the House of Representatives. It’s my moral obligation and patriotic duty to warn all of you about one such bill, “H.R.5383 - New Way Forward Act.”

New Way Forward Act was introduced on Dec. 10, 2019, by Democratic Rep. Jesus G. Garcia of Illinois and subsequently co-sponsored by 44 Democrats, including the uber-left faction of the party led by Reps. Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. (No House members from Connecticut are co-sponsors.)

The bill’s official goal is to reform the process for enforcing the immigration laws of the United States and, after reading the potential law, I think there’s a chance it might just be the most radical piece of legislation ever proposed in this country. Its motive is crystal clear — erase borders, language and culture.

Essentially, the legislation would completely neuter and de-fang the Department of Homeland Security, prohibiting state or local officers from performing certain immigration enforcement functions such as apprehending illegal aliens. It would sever communications between the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency and local communities.

The bill would seemingly abolish all existing enforcement against illegal immigration to the extreme point where if ICE wanted to detain illegal immigrants, they’d have to prove in court that the suspects are dangerous or flight risks. No longer would the simple act of being here illegally be grounds for confinement. Fundamentally, this bill decriminalizes illegal entry into America even by those previously deported.

Under current law, immigrants who commit serious infractions must be deported regardless of the sentences they receive. However, in H.R. 5383, there will no longer be any crimes — including sex trafficking, drug offenses or even rape — that would automatically result in deportation without further legal proceedings. The bill is also retroactively creating a pathway, using taxpayer money, to bring deportees back into America.

Bill HR5383 is broken up into seven sub-sections.

1. End mandatory detention and require probable cause for arrest. Phase out private, for-profit detention facilities and use of jails. This would encourage immigration judges to show maximum leeway in rulings involving illegals with attempts to avoid jail time. This next line is straight from the bill: “Immigration judges shall order the least restrictive conditions, or combination of conditions, that the judge determines will reasonably assure the appearance of the alien as required and the safety of any other person and the community.”

2. Strict statute of limitations. The time clock for removal of anyone here illegally becomes problematic, and greatly hinders the process of deportations.

3. Limit criminal-system-to-removal pipeline. The phrase “serious crime” gets a narrower scope: Only an alien who has been convicted of an aggravated felony and sentenced to a prison term of not less than five years, shall be considered to have been convicted of a “serious crime.” So, any crime, no matter how vile and violent, is not considered serious if a judge sentences the immigrant to less than five years.

4. Restore judicial discretion and end removal without due process. This is simply reaffirming the power of immigration judges, allowing them extreme discretion in determining humanitarian purpose in the context of assuring family unity. If you’re member of MS-13 but have a wife and four kids, the judge can see fit to ignore your violent past.

5. Prohibition against performance of immigration officer functions by state and local officers and employees. This is the section that castrates the DHS and ICE, making it impossible for agents to work with communities.

6. Decriminalize migration. Open borders! Come on in!

7. Right to come home. I’ve saved the worst for last. Any previously deported alien who falls under the new set of guidelines has the right to come back to America — AT THE EXPENSE OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. This next line is also straight from the bill: “The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide transportation for aliens eligible for reopening or reconsideration of their proceedings under this section, at Government expense, to return to the United States for further immigration proceedings and shall admit or parole the alien into the United States.”

This bill is a warning. This bill is dangerous. This bill is borderline liberal insanity.

Lee Elci is the morning host for 94.9 News Now radio, a station that provides “Stimulating Talk” with a conservative bent.