Sen. Flake Urges Attorney General to Restore Operation Streamline's Zero Tolerance Approach to Illegal Border Crossings

Sen. Jeff Flake, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions urging that he restore Operation Steamline’s zero tolerance approach to illegal border crossings and reverse the previous administration’s attempts to undermine the program. Operation Streamline had previously been credited with enhancing border security along parts of Arizona’s border with Mexico.

The letter is a follow-up to an exchange during Sessions’ January 2017 confirmation hearing during which the now-attorney general told Flake he agreed Operation Streamline should be restored to its original form and would consider expanding the program to other areas along the border.

To watch video of the exchange, click here.

A signed copy of the letter can be viewed here.

Background:

On Sept. 8, 2014, Flake and U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder seeking confirmation of reports that DOJ planned to cease prosecutions of all first-time and some repeat illegal border crossers under Operation Streamline. The signed letter can be viewed here.
On Jan. 28, 2015, Flake pressed U.S. Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch on the Obama administration’s decision to cease prosecutions of first-time and some repeat illegal border crossers under Operation Streamline. View the exchange here.
On March 19, 2015, Flake and McCain introduced a resolution expressing the Senate’s support for Operation Streamline. The resolution called on the Obama administration to immediately remove any directives or policies that would bar the prosecutions of first-time border crossers under the program. Read more about the resolution here.
On Feb. 10, 2016, Flake and McCain’s resolution in support of Operation Streamline passed the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Read more about that vote here.
On March 8, 2017, Flake pressed nominees for deputy attorney general and associate attorney general on whether they plan to restore a zero tolerance approach to illegal border crossings under Operation Streamline. To watch video of Flake’s exchange with then-Deputy Attorney General nominee Rod Rosenstein and then-Associate Attorney General nominee Rachel Brand, click here.