Kane County Reporter

Mark Rice, a candidate for Illinois' Eighth Congressional District, recently engaged in a discussion on illegal immigration. He compared the number of immigrants on parole to the total number of immigrants entering the U.S. legally. Rice, who is set to challenge incumbent Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi in the general election, also shared a link to a new report.

"According to the most recent research from FAIR - Federation for American Immigration Reform, the number of illegal aliens currently coming into the US under PAROLE exceeds the number of people trying to come here legally," said Rice, according to Facebook. "Total, in our face, invasion of our country with a derelict Democrat Administration purposely allowing it."

Rice disseminated a link to a report by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), dated April 2024. The report stated that the Biden Administration "has been very quietly abusing its very limited parole authority to let foreign nationals enter the U.S. en masse."

Screenshot of Mark Rice for Congress April 4 Facebook post | Mark Rice for Congress Facebook page

FAIR's research department released this new report titled "Immigration Parole: The Executive Branch’s Shadow Immigration System." The document reveals that in the first two quarters of the 2023 fiscal year, over 630,000 foreign nationals entered the country under parole, while fewer than 550,000 were granted green cards through legal immigration processes.

The FAIR report points out several perceived abuses of parole authority by the Biden Administration:
The creation of the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) One app – allowing 40,000 illegal immigrants to cross border ports of entry each month; country-specific parole programs for Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela allowing up to 360,000 individuals to fly directly to the U.S.; "family reunification parole" for those countries as well as Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Ecuador and Honduras; and reinstatement of the Central American Minors (CAM) parole program which includes provisions for parents and guardians.

Rice's campaign for the 8th Congressional District emphasizes key issues such as promoting economic growth, upholding fiscal responsibility, implementing tax relief and addressing matters related to immigration reform and border security. With an impressive record of 35 years residing in Illinois and serving as CEO of Energy CX, Rice has positioned himself as a prominent figure in the energy sector. Under his leadership, a team of 70 professionals has driven the company to national recognition, solidifying its reputation as a leader in providing comprehensive energy solutions, according to rice4congress.com.

The 8th Congressional District, which covers northern Cook County, northern DuPage County and northeast Kane County, is currently represented by Krishnamoorthi. Krishnamoorthi was first elected to Congress in 2016 and is now serving his fourth term as Illinois’ 8th District U.S. Representative, according to his official website.