House Panel to Address Biden's Border Policies, Condemn ICE Secure Docket Card Program

The House Rules Committee will hold discussions on a measure to censure the Biden administration's border policies, while GOP lawmakers introduce legislation to block taxpayer-funded identification cards for undocumented immigrants.

The House Rules Committee is poised to debate a resolution critical of the Biden administration's handling of the border crisis and potentially condemn its policies as a contributing factor to the surge in illegal migration.

The measure, led by Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), is expected to be discussed in the committee on Thursday, coinciding with a broader GOP effort to address the escalating situation at the southern border.

One key issue to be scrutinized is the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Secure Docket Card program, which is scheduled to launch this summer with approximately 10,000 cards to be distributed to undocumented migrants released into the U.S.

In response to the program, Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) has introduced the "No Taxpayer Funds for Illegal Immigrant Identity Cards Act," which prohibits the use of federal funds to establish the ICE Secure Docket Card program and precludes the use of such documentation in establishing eligibility for federal public benefits.

Nehls lambasted the Biden administration's abandonment of Trump-era policies as a major catalyst for the influx of migrants, arguing that it sent a global signal of a wide-open border and encouraged millions of illegal border crossings. He denounced the cards as a means for undocumented individuals to "take advantage of the American people."

Complementing the House effort, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has proposed similar legislation in the Senate to prevent federal funding for the ICE Secure Docket Card program.

The ICE Secure Docket Card program, first reported in 2022, is intended to "modernize documentation provided to some noncitizens," according to the agency. However, it has faced criticism from Republicans who view it as a form of taxpayer-funded identity cards for undocumented immigrants.

The agency has emphasized that the secure card will not be an official form of federal identification and will only be issued after national security background checks are conducted.

Despite these assurances, GOP lawmakers remain unconvinced, arguing that the program undermines efforts to address the border crisis and provides undocumented immigrants with an unwarranted advantage. The upcoming House Rules Committee discussion and legislative efforts in both chambers signal the increasing scrutiny of the Biden administration's border policies and the ongoing debate over undocumented immigration.