DHS has failed to provide information on its efforts to address the surge to Congress
Washington, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Immigration and Border Security Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), and Immigration and The National Interest Subcommittee Chairman Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) today called on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson to take immediate action to stop the ongoing surge of illegal immigration at the southwest border that is overwhelming federal agencies and to brief lawmakers on the Department’s efforts to address it.
Numerous media reports indicate that the ongoing border surge is a large-scale effort to enter the United States before this year’s presidential election. Tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors and family units from Central America continue to pour across the border. Additionally, thousands of Haitians and Africans are arriving at the border and claiming asylum. As the number of apprehensions by the Border Patrol has climbed sharply over the past year, it has put a strain on resources and the Obama Administration has failed to prudently manage detention capacity and resources, resulting in the release of many of these aliens into the United States.
In their letter to Secretary Johnson, the chairmen call on DHS to take immediate action to quell the surge at the border and enforce our nation’s immigration laws. They also request a briefing to learn about what steps the Department is taking to address this pressing issue. To date, the Department has been reluctant to timely provide information to the committees of jurisdiction.
Full letter can be viewed here
