{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-demands-answers-about-possible-biden-deals-with-maduro-regime", "Cotton Demands Answers About Possible Biden Deals with Maduro Regime", "2023-10-06", "2023", "2023-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AR", "Tom Cotton", "C001095", "www.cotton.senate.gov", "cotton", "https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\n\nContact: Caroline Tabler orJames Arnold (202) 224-2353\n\nOctober 6, 2023\n\nCotton Demands Answers About Possible Biden Deals with Maduro Regime\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to President Joe Biden requesting information about his decision to deport an unknown number of illegal aliens to Venezuela. The letter notes that the Biden administration\u2019s policies encouraged the Venezuelans to attempt to enter the United States in the first place.\n\nAdditionally, Senator Cotton asked for any information about a deal President Biden may have made with Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro in exchange for accepting the Venezuelans back.\n\nIn part, Senator Cotton wrote:\n\n\u201cMigrants are rushing to the United States because you invited them, both by refusing to enforce the law and by literal invitation through your abuse of immigration \u201cparole,\u201d and a few repatriation flights will do little to repair the damage, especially while you continue allowing illegal aliens to flood into the country. Further, there is little reason to believe Venezuela agreed to your repatriation flights without getting something in return.\u201d\n\nText of the letter may be found here and below.\n\nOctober 6, 2023\n\nPresident Joseph R. Biden\n\nThe White House\n\n1600 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W.\n\nWashington, DC 20500\n\nDear President Biden:\n\nI write regarding reports that your administration has reached an agreement with Venezuela\u2019s government to deport back to Venezuela select numbers of illegal aliens at our southern border.\n\nMigrants are rushing to the United States because you invited them, both by refusing to enforce the law and by literal invitation through your abuse of immigration \u201cparole,\u201d and a few repatriation flights will do little to repair the damage, especially while you continue allowing illegal aliens to flood into the country. Further, there is little reason to believe Venezuela agreed to your repatriation flights without getting something in return.\n\nPlease answer the following questions as soon as practicable, and make senior administration officials available to brief Congress no later than Friday, October 13:\n\nWhat are the terms of your repatriation agreement with Venezuela?\n\nWhat side deals or other agreements involving Venezuela have you made in the past 90 days?\n\nHow many Venezuelans enter the United States illegally every month, both across our southern border and through your administration\u2019s \u201cparole\u201d program? How many illegal aliens will be deported to Venezuela each month under your plan?\n\nThank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.\n\nSincerely,\n\n______________________\n\nTom Cotton\n\nUnited States Senator", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-demands-answers-about-possible-biden-deals-with-maduro-regime"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0222929995507002, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}