House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, issued a sweeping subpoena Wednesday to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data, documents, and communications.
The Judiciary Committee conducted several interviews with ICE officials as part of oversight efforts of the illegal immigration crisis at the southern border, during which the ICE witnesses were unable to answer certain questions about the Biden administration’s immigration policies.
In November, the panel requested that DHS provide the information that the ICE witnesses were not able to during their interviews.
According to the letter Jordan sent Mayorkas on Wednesday, the committee followed up on its request later in November and multiple times in December. DHS partially responded to the congressional inquiry on Jan. 2 and again on Jan. 29, but has since declined to provide all of the requested information, according to the letter.
“Pursuant to the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee has jurisdiction to conduct oversight of matters concerning federal immigration law to inform potential legislative reforms,” Jordan’s letter read.
“These potential legislative reforms could include, among other proposals, reforming Alternatives to Detention, increasing penalties on aliens who abscond from ICE, and enhancing ICE’s tracking, detention, and communications standards for aliens on the terrorist watchlist. To inform such potential reforms, the Committee must first understand the Administration’s current application of federal immigration law.
“Accordingly, and given your failure to comply in full with our request voluntarily, please find attached a subpoena.”
Mayorkas has already drawn the ire of House Republicans after the lower chamber voted last month to impeach him on two charges. Despite calls to proceed from the top two ranking Republicans in the Democrat-controlled Senate, a full impeachment trial of Mayorkas in the upper chamber does not appear likely.
Newsmax reached out to DHS for comment.
Nicole Wells ✉
Nicole Wells, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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