NE Missouri News

Washington D.C. - Congressman Sam Graves, alongside Senators Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt, and Representatives Blaine Luetkemeyer, Ann Wagner, Jason Smith, Mark Alford, and Eric Burlison, have reached out to President Joe Biden with concerns about the release of illegal immigrant gang members from Venezuela into U.S. communities.

In their letter to the President, they stated: “We write to you today to express our deep and growing concern regarding your administration’s refusal to hold Venezuela accountable for unacceptable delays in the removal process for illegal immigrants. These delays, sometimes indefinite, not only give the appearance that a foreign nation is being allowed to dictate the enforcement of U.S. immigration law but also put our communities at risk.”

The situation arose on October 25 when local law enforcement in Clinton County stopped two Venezuelan nationals identified by Homeland Security Investigations as members of the Tren de Aragua gang. Despite this identification, Immigration and Customs Enforcement reportedly advised Missouri law enforcement to release these individuals due to Venezuela's lack of cooperation on deportation cases.

The letter further expressed: “…Despite identifying Tren de Aragua as a 'deadly criminal threat,' your Administration reportedly directed local law enforcement in Missouri to release a known member of this organization due to Venezuela’s refusal to cooperate on deportation cases.”

The lawmakers concluded by urging a return to the Remain in Mexico policy "to ensure that dangerous gang members are not paroled into our communities."