House Republicans are demanding answers after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) allegedly took steps to hide the true number of people in the country illegally from a large group of lawmakers investigating the matter.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Greene (R-Tenn.), and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) spoke on Constitution Watch on Monday. The department sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as the department blocked Congress’ efforts to do so. A huge border crisis.
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The letter, obtained exclusively by Breitbart News, is a follow-up to the first letter Johnson sent after leading 64 House Republicans to Eagle Pass, Texas, in early January. In that first letter, Johnson cited a Breitbart News report that DHS took steps to hide the severity of the crisis from the visit of the Congressional delegation (commonly referred to as CODEL in Washington). Mr. Johnson also questioned DHS’s refusal to photograph members of the Congressional delegation while allowing access to CBS cameras to publish favorable stories about Mr. Mayorkas’ department.
Mr. Mayorkas responded to the letter without providing requested documents or information about DHS’ preparations for the visit or whether DHS had made any changes to border enforcement against members of Congress. According to Johnson’s follow-up letter:
Additionally, the DHS response did not provide documentation related to the transportation and release of illegal aliens in and around the Del Rio area on the southwest border or the Eagle Pass CBP facility within the CODEL deadline. Additionally, DHS’s response did not cite or provide any specific statute or regulation document prohibiting members from taking photographs at CBP facilities, but merely referred to CBP’s “policy.” Finally, DHS’s response does not attempt to explain the conflict between the media’s ability to photograph CBP facilities, especially Face the Nation, and elected officials being prohibited from doing the same. Ta.
Mr. Johnson and the two chairmen told Mr. Mayorkas they wanted answers within two weeks or they would use their subpoena powers.
Concerns about the collapse of the southern border are growing in Washington and across the country, with the lawmakers’ letter calling the issue “currently a top concern for Americans, whether they live on the border or not.” It is being They cited the killings of Kayla Hamilton and Laken Riley, both allegedly by illegal aliens released under pro-Biden border and immigration policies.
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New York City Police Department / Body Cam+ /TMX
President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, prompted by Republican cries, mentioned Mr. Riley, mistakenly calling him “Lincoln Riley,” but the president’s conviction that he was concerned about the border was not confirmed. There were hardly any. Biden has blamed Congress and even his predecessor, Donald Trump, for the crisis that erupted on his watch, saying he does not have the authority to address the issue unilaterally. Trump is vacillating between doing so and threatening executive action unless Congress passes pro-immigration legislation. border law.
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US House of Representatives
Mayorkas has a long history of refusing to cooperate with Congress. In February, the House of Representatives impeached Mayorkas, making him the first Cabinet member to be impeached in nearly 150 years.
Bradley Jay is Breitbart News’ Capitol Hill correspondent. Follow him on X/Twitter. @BradleyAJay.
