Press Releases

Washington, D.C. -- Today, Representative Rosendale introduced the SECURE America Act in response to the mass resettlement of unvetted Afghan refugees across America and the crisis at the border. This bill focuses on reforming the United States’ current refugee admission and resettlement process to ensure we take the necessary steps to protect our nation.

This legislation reclaims Congressional authority over our immigration system from the executive branch to set the yearly refugee cap and states that the administration may not admit any refugees until Congress sets the yearly maximum number for refugee admittance. This bill would also require that Governors receive a 30-day notice from the administration before refugees are set to be resettled in their state. Governors would then have the authority to reject those placements.

The SECURE America Act will also require a thorough vetting process for all refugees seeking admittance into the United States, prior to them being admitted. Following thorough vetting, an alien may only be admitted as a refugee after the Secretary of Homeland Security, Director of the FBI, and Director of National Intelligence all certify to Congress that the prospective refugee is not a threat to national security. 

This vetting would include a new screening process established in the bill to evaluate whether these individuals would likely assimilate to our country, by barring those who hold beliefs incompatible with principles of America. Examples include support for imposing laws on America which are adverse to our constitution, or belief in violence based on radical religious teachings. 

Lastly, this legislation would rescind the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security to parole aliens into the United States, therefore ending the Secretary’s ability to unilaterally allow any alien into the country who does not otherwise have legal status. This is how most Afghan nationals were brought into the country without visas or refugee status. Parole authority has also been used extensively in the ongoing Biden Border Crisis, enabling catch and release. 

“We have experienced an overwhelming number of unvetted aliens from one hundred and twenty-three nations entering our country with the absence of a proper vetting process,” Representative Rosendale said. “That is a recipe for disaster. We need to know if these people are likely to assimilate and contribute to our country. This legislation would put the proper parameters in place to ensure we do just that.”

“The Biden Administration’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal is no excuse for allowing thousands of unvetted alien nationals to pour into our country. It is essential Congress reasserts its authority over our immigration system and proper safeguards are put into place. I’m proud to cosponsor the SECURE Act to do just that.” - Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX)

“As tens of thousands of foreign nationals continue to be admitted and resettled across the United States, we must give affected communities a seat at the table, and make sure that we are properly screening people before, not after, they arrive here. In recent months we’ve seen vetting procedures that previously took months or even years hastily conducted by the Biden Administration in just days or hours. The Secure America Act will make necessary reforms that put America’s safety first,” - Congressman Tom Tiffany (R-WI)

“The SECURE America Act is a commonsense approach to protecting our national security in the wake of the chaotic and disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan,” said Congressman Bill Posey (R-FL). “This administration has a duty to ensure that all refugees are properly vetted before entering the United States and assimilating into our communities.”  

“The Biden Administration abandoned an untold number of American citizens behind enemy lines and yet had no problem expediting unvetted Afghans with ties to terrorism,” said Congressman Steube (R-FL). “Now, Afghans that the Biden Administration has admitted into our country are committing violent crimes on our military bases. This bill will protect America’s security, unlike the Biden Administration’s reckless open border policies.”

“The Biden Administration’s failures on the border and in Afghanistan have jeopardized America’s national security. We must prioritize the safety and security of the American people, and the SECURE America Act helps achieve that mission. Our bill restores congressional authority over refugee admissions, ensures proper vetting, and ends the Biden Administration’s abuse of parole to release vast numbers of illegal aliens into the U.S. interior. I am proud to be a cosponsor, and I thank Representative Rosendale for his leadership on this legislation.” - Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA)

“The Biden Administration has shown that it’s either unwilling or incapable of safeguarding America’s sovereignty and its citizens from illegal aliens who are unvetted, unscreened, and now unaccounted for in our mainland. The SECURE Act is important legislation that will hold this administration accountable for the worsening crisis at the border and set up common-sense measures that strengthen the vetting process for foreign nationals coming into the United States.” - Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA)

“Rep. Rosendale’s SECURE America Act makes desperately needed changes to our broken refugee and parole systems. The Biden Administration has made clear that they will use every tool in their arsenal to shield illegal aliens from removal – including blanket parole. Rep. Rosendale’s bill would end the misguided use of administrative parole to grant thousands of illegal aliens a pathway to citizenship. FAIR supports this bill as a crucial step needed in the fight to restore integrity to our immigration system.” - Dan Stein, President of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)

“The America First Policy Institute supports Rep. Matt Rosendale’s efforts to reassert congressional authority over refugee resettlement in the United States, respect state sovereignty in the refugee resettlement process, and require executive branch officials to prioritize the safety and security of American citizens. America can continue to be at the forefront of humanitarian relief for persecuted populations around the world while also ensuring that Americans are safe at home.” - John A. Zadrozny, Director for the Center for Homeland Security and Immigration, America First Policy Institute (AFPI)

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