Washington, DC – U.S. Sens. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) today applauded the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s approval of S. Res. 104, a resolution recognizing Operation Streamline’s success in reducing recidivism among illegal border crossers. The resolution, which is co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), also calls on the administration to immediately remove any directives or policies that would bar the prosecutions of first-time border crossers under this program.

Operation Streamline is a joint initiative administered by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice (DOJ). In place since 2005, the program has been associated with a zero-tolerance approach, including criminally prosecuting illegal border crossers. It has been effective in the U.S. Border Patrol’s Yuma, Ariz. sector, with apprehensions dropping from 140,000 in 2005 to less than 6,000 in 2014. By comparison, the Tucson sector, experienced more than 87,000 illegal crossings in 2014.

Despite Operation Streamline’s demonstrated success, the United States Attorney’s Office for the district of Arizona will reportedly no longer be prosecuting first-time illegal border crossers. This threatens the program’s established effectiveness as a constraint on illegal-immigration.

“The administration’s rollback of prosecutions under Operation Streamline threatens to eliminate the progress that has already been made in deterring illegal border crossings,” said the senators. “With the committee’s approval secured, it’s imperative that the Senate move quickly to pass this resolution in support of this program that has played a vital role in reducing the number of illegal border crossings in Arizona.”

Background: On Sept. 8, 2014, Flake and McCain sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder seeking confirmation of reports that the DOJ will cease prosecuting all first-time and some repeat illegal border crossers under Operation Streamline. The signed letter can be viewed here.

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