The immigration laws of the United States are being enforced by the Department of Homeland Security every day, according to Secretary Jeh Johnson, but he says that the system currently in place is broken and just not working.
Johnson slammed those who claim that current immigration laws are not being enforced, during an interview on the This Week show with ABC senior justice correspondent Pierre Thomas over the weekend. “I don’t understand those who are saying we’re not enforcing the law,” Johnson noted. “We’re enforcing the law every day.” Protestors marched on the headquarters of the Department of Homeland Security on Friday in order to confront them over the deportation of immigrants, an issue which Johnson was asked to look into by President Barack Obama last month.
Johnson says that he feels immigration is something that needs to be treated in a more humane manner than is currently the case. “Immigration laws need to conform with American values,” he says. “I believe one of those American values is respect for the sanctity of the family unit.” There are tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States illegally, but those who do not have serious criminal records could end up being protected from deportation under a change of policy which Johnson is considering.
If the change is adopted after the review ordered by the President, it could limit the deportation of those with repeated immigration violations, but with minimal or no other criminal record.