The Islamic terrorist responsible for the deadly truck attack in New York City this week had gained entry to the United States through the “Diversity Visa Lottery” program.
Created by the late US Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), the program distributes visas to 50,000 people a year from countries that lower immigration rates to the US than others. The terrorist, Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, entered the US on the program in 2010.
President Trump this week called for the abolition of the program. Several members of Texas’ delegation have echoed that call, including US Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Austin) who chairs the Homeland Security Committee.
“I’ve always been against it because it’s a random system to bring people into the United States,” McCaul told the Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends. He said he wants to replace it with a merit-based system. US. Sen. John Cornyn echoed those sentiments.
Since 2013, US Sen. Ted Cruz has called for the program to be eliminated.
Other Texans in Congress have spoken out about the program:
Political correctness is getting Americans killed. Foolish policies like ‘Diversity Visa Program’ must end. Our politicians need to wake-up! https://t.co/G0R3IBW7Gt
— Brian Babin (@RepBrianBabin) November 1, 2017
It is more than clear that we must wait no longer to end the diversity visa lottery: https://t.co/E9rOeDBKY9
— John Ratcliffe (@RepRatcliffe) November 1, 2017
We must continue our fight against radicalization both at home and abroad. https://t.co/CcykUn6anu
— Blake Farenthold (@farenthold) November 1, 2017
Image: www.wabc.com
