FAIRHOPE — Last week, Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth released a copy of a letter he sent to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas calling on him to halt the Cuba-Haiti-Nicaragua-Venezuela (CHNV) Parole Program.
Ainsworth's letter was immediately panned by left-wing critics. However, during remarks given at the monthly meeting of the Point Clear Republican Women at Oak Hollow Farm on Tuesday, Ainsworth reiterated the sentiment expressed in the letter and insisted further details were needed from the Biden administration about the CHNV program.
"I sent a letter to Secretary Mayorkas on that," he said. "And really just said, hey, I want to make sure that this program that I believe is a violation of our immigration policy, right? They have this executive order that allows them to do that. I want to make sure on this issue — you know, you're supposed to have a sponsor. I want a list of sponsors. We can find out: Who are they? Then the next thing is the money that they are receiving. There is a side of me that thinks this was a scam on some of this stuff and people might be taking advantage of the system. We need to know that, right? And so, I look forward to getting those answers back."
"I can say as a state, we're looking at what we can potentially do," Ainsworth continued. "In my home county of Marshall County, it's a big problem. It's a huge problem where you've got issues with violations of people. We've got a rental business, the real estate side, right? We had to go put a letter on somebody's door because they violated rental policies, where somebody was managing properties, where you have 20 people with somebody subleasing out. There's all kinds of problems going on. You look at the violence, you look at potentially diseases being brought into the country. There's a lot of things we've just got to make sure we're checking. I don't think people are thinking."
During the question-and-answer session, Ainsworth pledged to oppose any federal assistance that would incentivize Haitian resettlement in Alabama.
"I can tell you this, and I'll fight as hard as I can on this issue: I'm not going to be in favor, and scream as loud as I can and use every tool in my office to make sure we do not receive a dime from the federal government to be part of this program where other states and even other local elected officials are encouraging that," he said. "We don't want it in Alabama. And so I want to be clear on that. It's not legal immigration. But I think this program is a violation from the people I talk to."
Jeff Poor is the editor in chief of 1819 News and host of "The Jeff Poor Show," heard Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon on Mobile's FM Talk 106.5. To connect or comment, email jeff.poor@1819News.com or follow him on Twitter @jeff_poor.
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