Took Weak Positive Action for Support Great Solutions

Acted Negatively for Reduce Chain Migration

Acted Negatively for Reduce Visa Lottery

Acted Negatively for Reduce Unnecessary Worker Visas

Took Strong Positive Action for Refugees & Asylees

Acted Negatively for Reduce Amnesty Enticements

Acted Negatively for Limit Birthright Citizenship

Took Strong Positive Action for Reduce Illegal Immigration Rewards

Took Strong Positive Action for Strengthen Border Security

Took Strong Positive Action for Strengthen Interior Enforcement

2022: Sponsored S. 3433 calling for a study to speed up Afghan admissions Sen. Ernst sponsored S. 3433, the Honor Our Commitment Act of 2021, introduced by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). The legislation would require a strategy and report on how to get more individuals out of Afghanistan and to the U.S.

2021: Voted in favor of Amdt. 811 to S. Con. Res. 5 to block increases in legal immigration Sen. Ernst voted in favor of a motion to waive the budgetary rules for Amendment #811, introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), to S. Con. Res. 5, the 2021 COVID-19 stimulus bill. The amendment would have prevented increases in legal immigration. The amendment failed 40-60.

2021: Sponsored S. 2331 to Sen. Ernst sponsored S. 2331, the SHIELD Act, introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). The legislation would block the admission and parole of individuals who in the last 30 days were in a country that had a high COVID transmission or has a lower vaccination rate than the United States.

2021: Voted in favor of Amdt. 132 to S. Con. Res. 5 to require detention of criminal aliens Sen. Ernst voted in favor of a motion to waive budgetary rules for Amendment #132, introduced by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), to S. Con. Res. 5, the 2021 COVID-19 stimulus bill. The amendment would have attached Sarahs Law to the bill. Sarahs Law requires mandatory detention for criminal aliens whose crime results in injury or death. The motion, needing 60 votes to pass, failed 52-48.

2021: Sponsored S. 1024 to increase health care visas Sen. Ernst sponsored S. 1024, the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, introduced by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). The legislation would recapture 40,000 supposedly unused visas and provide them to health care workers.

2022: Voted in favor of H.R. 2471 to increase in H-2B and EB-5 visas Sen. Ernst voted in favor of H.R. 2471, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, introduced by Rep. Hakeem Jefferies (D-N.Y.). The legislation authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to double the number of H-2B low-skill, non-agricultural visas for FY2022. Further, the legislation reauthorizes the EB-5 investor visa program. The legislation was signed into law.

2021: Sponsored S. 2032 to increase Afghan SIV admissions Sen. Ernst sponsored S. 2032, the Afghan Allies Protection Act, introduced by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). The legislation would expand the Afghan, including and increase to the cap from 26,500 to 46,500 and extending the program until 2024.

2021: Sponsored S. 884 to end border surges and asylum fraud Sen. Ernst sponsored S. 884, the Stopping Border Surges Act, introduced by Rep. Mike Lee (R-Utah). The legislation would take significant steps to end border surges and asylum fraud, including: 1) close the loophole for UACs from noncontiguous countries, 2) close the Flores Settlement loophole that limits the time family units can be detained by Border Patrol, 3) strengthen the credible fear standard, 4) limit asylum to those arriving at a port of entry, 5) shifts the work permit eligibility for asylum seekers from 180 days to 1 year, and 6) makes asylum fraud a felony crime.

2021: Sponsored S. 884 to block amnesty for illegal border crossers Sen. Ernst sponsored S. 884, the Stopping Border Surges Act, introduced by Rep. Mike Lee (R-Utah). The legislation would close a loophole that allows certain Unaccompanied Alien Minors who cross the border illegally to receive Special Immigration Juvenile status.

2021: Sponsored S. 2753 to grant a preemptive amnesty to nonimmigrants S. Ernst sponsored S. 2753, the Protecting Children of Long-term Visa Holders Act, introduced by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.). The legislation would issue green cards to noncitizen visa holders who are children of H visa holders and will soon age out of legal status. In essence, the legislation will grant an amnesty to 190,000 soon-to-be illegal aliens.

2022: Sponsored S. 3154 blocking settlement cash to illegal aliens Sen. Ernst sponsored S. 3154, the Prohibiting Taxpayer Funded Settlements for Illegal Immigrants Act, introduced by Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.). The legislation would block settlement cash from going to families who were separated after crossing the border illegally.

2021: Voted in favor of Amdt. 54 to S. Con. Res. 5 to block stimulus payments to illegal aliens Sen. Ernst voted in favor of Amendment #54, introduced by Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), to S. Con. Res. 5, the 2021 COVID-19 stimulus bill. The amendment would have blocked stimulus payments from going to illegal aliens. The amendment was approved 58-42.

2021: Sponsored S. 25, the Stop Greenlighting Driver Licenses for Illegal Immigrants Act, to eliminate rewards for illegal aliens Sen. Ernst sponsored S. 25, introduced by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). The legislation would block certain federal funds to jurisdictions that provide drivers licenses to illegal aliens.

2022: Sponsored S. 4294 to use unused materials for border barrier construction Sen. Ernst sponsored S. 4294, the BUILT IT Act, introduced by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). The legislation would require the federal government to turn over unused border barrier materials to the states that request it to build their own border barriers.

2021: Voted in favor of Amdt. 687 to S. Con. Res. 5 to reinstate the Remain in Mexico policy Sen. Ernst voted in favor of Amendment #687, introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), to S. Con. Res. 5, the 2021 COVID-19 stimulus bill. The amendment would have reinstated the Migrant Protection Protocols, commonly known as the Remain in Mexico policy. The amendment failed 50-50.

2022: Voted in favor of S.J. Res. 46 to disapprove of asylum rule Sen. Ernst voted in favor of S.J.Res. 46 introduced by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.). The legislation would formally disapprove of the Biden Administration rule to allow asylum officers to grant asylum to illegal border crossers at the border.

2021: Voted in favor of Amdt. 542 to S. Con. Res. 5 to provide border fence funding Sen. Ernst voted in favor of Amendment #542, introduced by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), to S. Con. Res. 5, the 2021 COVID-19 stimulus bill. The amendment would have provided funding for border fence construction. The amendment failed 50-50.

2021: Voted in favor of Amdt. 872 to S. Con. Res. 5 to fund border security and interior enforcement Sen. Ernst voted in favor of Amendment #872, introduced by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), to S. Con. Res. 5, the 2021 COVID-19 stimulus bill. The amendment would have provided funding for border security and interior enforcement. The amendment failed 50-50.

2021: Voted in favor of Amdt. 651 to S. Con. Res. 5 to end catch-and-release Sen. Ernst voted in favor of Amendment #651, introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), to S. Con. Res. 5, the 2021 COVID-19 stimulus bill. The amendment would have ended the practice of catch-and-release at the border. The amendment failed 50-50.

2021: Sponsored S. 59, the Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act, to assist victims of illegal alien crime Sen. Ernst sponsored S. 59, introduced by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). The legislation would establish a civil action for harm caused by an alien who benefited from a sanctuary policy. It would also provide immunity for state/local law enforcement when complying with ICE detainers.

2021: Sponsored S. 60 to strengthen interior enforcement Sen. Ernst sponsored S. 60, introduced by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). The legislation would reaffirm DHS authority to issue detainers for any alien it has reason to believe is removable.

2021: Sponsored S. 71, the Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act, to require employers to use E-Verify Sen. Ernst sponsored S. 71, introduced by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). The legislation would require all businesses to use E-Verify within one year for both new hires and existing employees. Further, the legislation would require information sharing between the relevant agencies to eliminate fraud.

2021: Sponsored S. 25, the Stop Greenlighting Driver Licenses for Illegal Immigrants Act, to block funds for sanctuary cities Sen. Ernst sponsored S. 25, introduced by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). The legislation would block certain federal funds to jurisdictions that provide drivers licenses to illegal aliens.