JUST IN: Jim Jordan Chairs House Judiciary Committee Hearing To Take Mayorkas' Testimony | Part 3

come to order I apologize for typical Congress 10 minutes later and I want to be here the gentleman from Texas is recognized for five minutes thank you chairman Mr mayorkas members of this committee please turn your attention to the video screens all Americans not only in the states most heavily affected but in every place in this country are rightly disturbed by the large numbers of illegal aliens entering our country the job stay home might otherwise be held by citizens or legal immigrants the public service they use imposed burdens on our taxpayers that's why our Administration has moved aggressively to secure our borders more by hiring a record number of new border guards by deporting twice as many criminal aliens as ever before by cracking down on illegal hiring by barring welfare benefits Tilly lalians and the budget I will present to you we will try to do more to speed the deportation of illegal aliens who are arrested for crimes to better identify illegal aliens in the workplace as recommended by the commission headed by former congresswoman Barbara Jordan we are a nation of immigrants but we are also a nation of laws it is wrong and ultimately self-defeating for a nation of immigrants to permit the kind of abuse of our immigration laws we have seen in recent years and we must do more to stop it Mr secretary I can understand why you didn't stand with me and my colleagues and clap you didn't want to clap at that because you and Joe Biden believe just the opposite of what President Clinton just said you believe in open borders and complete chaos did you notice the bipartisan support in the chamber as the video was played everybody was clapping in that chamber if I were in Congress in 1995 I would have also stood because I wasn't I stand here today other than president Donald J Trump the greatest president in my lifetime with the most safest and secure border I believe President Clinton understood just how important border security is to our nation but boy oh boy have times changed 28 years later the left has gone off the rails they've gone completely nuts they've done just the opposite of what the leader of the Democrat Party President Clinton stood for on border security in 1995. this committee's ranking member he was in Congress in 1995 I assume he stood I may assume he stood it seemed like the majority if not all of the entire chamber they stood matter of fact Mr Clinton delivered his speech in the third year of his first term and he was re-elected in 1996 he beat Bob Dole won by over 8 million votes won the Electoral College 379-159 he had the support of the American people and I'm going to assume the ranking member also voted for Bill Clinton in 1996. we have two other members Miss Jackson and Miss Lofgren they were both freshmen at the time I will assume they stood during that powerful speech as well and do you know why they supported and voted they voted for legislation in 1996 strengthening our immigration laws I applaud them for that so what's changed folks what's changed with the Democrat Party I'll tell you what's changed if you wouldn't have heard President Clinton's Voice or seen his face you would have thought Donald Trump delivered that speech I don't believe that President Clinton was called a racist a white supremacist who hated immigrants as the left and the dishonest media has painted Donald Trey Trump to be Mr Marcus is a reason why you and Joe Biden have allowed 5.5 million people to cross our Southern border this is about votes and elections I have a report from the Heritage Foundation titled tracking movement of illegal aliens from ngos to interior of the USA why do you think ngos have moved illegal immigrants to 431 of the 435 congressional districts the truth is hear me it's because the Democrats Progressive policies are not acceptable to Americans Heritage obtained a sampling of approximately 30 000 cell phones that were tracked to ngos along border states they tracked approximately 22 000 devices at 20 NGO locations in January 2022 the same devices were later traced to 431 separate U.S congressional districts and of the 52 with the highest rate of track devices 71 of them were Republican congressional districts the report revealed that it's not a coincidence folks the flood of illegal immigrants means a continual rise and supply surplus laborers that Surplus drives down the wages of existing middle class and lower class job holders until they leave the job forces and then they're forced to go on welfare with the hope that they will become loyal supporters of the Democrats that's what this is all about if this isn't about votes if this isn't about votes one party rule keeping the Democrats in power I make this suggestion if you put the American people first you should refer back to Trump's border policies but you won't because you hate him yet despise the man so give Bill Clinton a call and then he can help you with the Border crisis as President Clinton stated we are a nation of immigrants but we are also a nation of laws you sir have betrayed betrayed constitutional order neglected your duty and violated the trust of the American people and as a nation of laws I look forward to your impeachment that I yield back chair recognizes the gentleman from California Mr Kylie Mr secretary last year you testified before this committee that this administration's policies were not responsible for the surge of illegal border crossings and today you've testified that this administration's policies are responsible uh for what you claim uh is a decline in illegal border crossings so why is it that you deserve credit when numbers go down but not blame when numbers go up Congressman uh two points one the approach that we are taking expanding lawful Pathways and delivering consequences for those who do not use them is working but I want to communicate that the challenge Remains the challenges are persistent one in our Southern border has been for decades and what we need okay Mr secretary you're speaking in general terms and I think this is why many of us on the committee are frustrated with the lack of accountability is that you have shattered all records in terms of illegal border crossings you say that has nothing to do with the dramatic change in policies you had and then there's a brief Decline and you cite that as evidence that you're doing a good job and I think that's why so many Americans have lost faith in this administration's ability to secure the Border but I want to actually um reference some remarks you made that I found uh somewhat encouraging this was on the topic of detainers you made these remarks earlier in your January or April of 2021 at a use UCLA discussion for with the immigration law and policy Center you said this you said you referred to uh an example of someone who crossed the border illegally and went on to commit sex offenses and you said I do not believe that individuals should be released into the community you said I think the state the state facility should turn that individual over to ice directly and you added I think that is a public safety need you went on to say that after such a person had served their sentence if they were a citizen they might there might be no way to keep them out of the community but you said I have a tool at my disposal with respect to an individual who unlawfully entered the country you said I feel strongly about this is it a school that I have at my disposal it is a tool I feel obligated to employ I am going to protect the public you said it's a very strong statement in favor of detainers and yet over the last couple years we have seen the actual use of detainers declined dramatically fiscal year 2021 there are 65 000 fiscal year 2022 78 000 that's about half the average during the Trump Administration about one-third of the average during the Obama Administration so if detainers are such a powerful tool why have you used them so sparingly a congressman let me communicate a very important point that individuals who pose a threat to Public Safety or national security are detained that is the immigration policy of the Department of Homeland Security under my leadership why are you detaining much less than your predecessor individuals well one is our detention capacity is limited which is why we prioritize Public Safety and National Security threats number one and number two detainers are sometimes not honored by particular jurisdictions I want to move on to that in a second but just briefly has the White House directed you to limit the use of detainers Congressman um that's a yes or no question has the white house uh Congressman no they no they have not okay thank you so on this topic of jurisdictions not honoring detainers you have been critical of these so-called Sanctuary uh jurisdictions in a 2022 speech to the U.S Conference of Mayors you said some of your cities have declined to cooperate with immigration authorities and the removal the apprehension and removal of individuals even if those individuals pose a public safety threat you said I will be coming to you and asking you to reconsider your position of not non-cooperation the public safety The public's well-being for which we are all charged is I think an issue you said so Mr secretary you agree that Sanctuary policies threaten Public Safety Congressman uh what do you mean by Sanctuary policies the definition that you gave right there where you said the uh decline in to cooperate with immigration authorities and the removal the apprehension and removable removal of individuals even if those individuals pose a public safety threat is that are those Sanctuary policies as you define them a threat to Public Safety so Sanctuary policies are defined differently by different communities to your definition if I if I may is it a threat to Public Safety I do not consider it in the service of Public Safety to release an individual into the community when that individual can be released to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for prompt removal thank you do you oppose State policies that forbid local authorities from cooperation cooperating with ice um I am aware of some that I do oppose so you oppose California's Sanctuary state law I am not familiar with the particulars of that law have you encountered California's restrictions on uh cooperation with local with Federal immigration authorities Congressman I believe it is imperative that we cooperate with one another jurisdictions cooperate with us when it serves the public safety need thank you I'm out of time but I would like to restate for the record that you the policies you said uh that you oppose overriding the ability of local jurisdictions to cooperate that's exactly what California's Sanctuary state law does thank you and I yield back do you recognize the gentleman in Colorado Mr nagoos I think the chairman Mr secretary thank you for being here thank you for your testimony I know it's been a long day today and I am certainly grateful to you for your service to our country and I wonder I have some questions about FEMA and as you may recall we've spoken previously uh with respect to some natural disasters that we've faced in the state of Colorado which I have the honor of representing in the Congress particularly wildfires and have very much appreciated the partnership with the Department uh and your sub-agencies before I do that I just want to give you an opportunity I know it has been um a very contentious hearing to the extent that you'd like to clarify anything or or uh you know perhaps expound on on a prior answer that you didn't have ample opportunity to do so Congressman I very much appreciate the invitation I can't recall there were quite a number of times I have not been able to complete my responses but I look forward to the opportunity um to answer your questions I I do think it's important you know for those Americans who are watching to perhaps provide them with some context about the various ways in which you've served our country maybe you could just talk a bit about before you were appointed and confirmed as Secretary of Homeland Security what kind of work did you do Congressman uh I am in I think it's my 22nd or 23rd year of federal service I joined the federal government because this country has given so much to my family we we came here seeking Refuge from the Communist takeover of Cuba I began my federal Service as an assistant United States Attorney as a federal prosecutor I worked in that capacity for almost nine years before I was appointed by President Clinton in fighting crime yes taking on organized crime taking on cartels taking on gang violence yes Smugglers all sorts of crimes um it was the largest Federal Judicial District in the country the central district of California I was then nominated appointed and nominated and Senate confirmed to see United States Attorney on a bipartisan basis yes it was unanimous I returned to Federal service 2009 as the Director of U.S citizenship and immigration services and then moved from that position after approximately four years I became the deputy Secretary of Homeland Security I returned to Federal service after that as the Secretary of Homeland Security it's been about 22 years or so I will say Mr secretary what I said previously we're grateful for your service in law enforcement and while we have many disagreements with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle from a policy perspective perhaps ideological differences I would hope that they would show you the appropriate respect and recognition of the work that you have done as a law enforcement officer is someone who's worked in law enforcement for the last 25 years or so I want to talk a bit about FEMA as I mentioned we had in Colorado some of the most destructive wildfires in our state's history all happened in the last several years and in particular in my district in Colorado as you'll well remember the Marshall fire which was the most destructive wildfire in the history of our state economically and tragically we lost the lives of two community members there have been recent concerning reports that FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund the drf which is the main funding source as you know through which you provide support to State local and tribal governments responding to Naturals disasters natural disasters excuse me is in danger of running out of funding before the end of this year potentially even next month I wonder if you can elaborate on what that shortfall is when you predict it may run out of funding funding on how that would impact the agency's ability to support communities in the event of a disaster because of course there are many of us in Congress myself included who are championing efforts to ensure that this shortfall doesn't happen Congressman um we are seeing an increase in both the frequency and severity of natural disasters hurricanes tornadoes fires floods and the disaster relief fund that FEMA administers is the primary vehicle that enables FEMA the Department of Homeland Security through FEMA to distribute individual and public assistance to communities devastated by those natural disasters if that were to run out our ability to assist communities our neighbors our friends our loved ones to recover from and rebuild after a natural disaster would be um virtually eliminated almost eliminated and we are hopeful that the disaster relief fund uh will receive the requisite funding because the money we expect to run out as early as perhaps August well I thank the thank you Mr secretary I couldn't agree more and we will do everything in our power to ensure that that fund is replenished on that you have my word so with that Mr chairman I thank you Paul Jensen I yield back thanks sir tear your yields to miss Hagerman for five million minutes thank you the First Amendment to the United States Constitution rests on the principle that no person or institution including the government has a monopoly on the truth in that viewpoint-based suppression of speech by the government is dangerous and may even spell the death of a constitutional republic under the First Amendment the government has no power to restrict expression because of its message its ideas its subject matter or its content as the Supreme Court has explained if there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation it is that no official higher Petty can prescribe what shall be Orthodox in politics nationalism religion or other matters of opinion labeling a speech speech misinformation does not strip it of its first amendment protection that is so even if the speech is untrue as some false statements are inevitable if there is to be an open and vigorous expression of use in public and private conversation in refusing to carve out a First Amendment exception for false speech the framers of our constitution recognize the significant danger in making the government the ultimate Arbiters of Truth and it is axiomatic in the words of the Supreme Court that the government may not induce encourage or promote private persons to accomplish what it constitutionally for is forbidden to accomplish secretary mayorkas it was reported in May that the DHS through the targeted violence and terrorism prevention grant program is funding groups targeting conservatives and equating them to domestic terrorists originally intended to combat foreign terrorist organizations operations in the U.S it has become yet another government tool weaponized against citizens to violate first amendment protection affiliate protected affiliations in speech one Grant to the University of Dayton for a program titled Provence o hosted a seminar titled extremism rhetoric and Democratic precarity one of the speakers a known antifa member as part of his presentation shared a pyramid of far-right radicalization which likened the Republican party to the the Heritage Foundation the American conservative Union Fox News Breitbart News the National Rifle Association Prager University tea party Patriots the Maga movement and the PLU the the pro police blue lives matter movement and the Christian Broadcasting Network as the first steps on path leading to Nazism and militant neo-nazism among other appalling ideologies and groups this presenter reportedly also taught tactics on how to pressure the removal of conservatives from platforms and he even quoted as saying a lot of things we are doing are illegal and a lot of it involves breaking the law secretary mayorcas does the affiliation with conservative or Christian beliefs make someone a Nazi or a domestic terrorist of course not Okay then if that's so why is your agency targeting Americans who are Christians and conservatives we secretary mayorkus when did you become aware that the University of Dayton was implementing your grant funding program to Target conservatives and Christians it is my understanding that it is not when did you become so you have you're not aware of that no it is my understanding that it is not you're unaware of the information that has been produced and have you ever seen the pyramid that it's up on the screen right now I I learned about the individual speakers comments with which I profoundly disagree okay so when did you find about out about the speaker's comments I don't quite recall congresswoman all right well you know what I'm Mr mayorkers I actually really want to thank you as well for coming here today for your performance I have watched with absolute Fascination as you have danced and dodged and lied yes slide we know you've lied you know you've lied but more importantly the American public knows that you lied throughout your testimony today and yet you believe that you and your fellow architects of the censorship industrial complex think that you should be able to determine what is and isn't true and what is and isn't untrue you are the walking talking epitome of the very Tyrant that our forefathers recognized would gravitate towards government service and it is because of people like you that they drafted the first amendment I thank them for their foresight I thank them for recognizing that you and people like you would do everything in your power to control speech to control freedom to take away our rights and they've written a document that isn't going to allow you to do that unfortunately we still have courts and judges who recognize that you don't have the power that you are attempting to take that you do not have the right to limit our freedom of speech our freedom of Association our right to communicate thank God we have the First Amendment so that we can stop you from doing what you've been doing with that I yield back your accusations are false thank you chair your eels to Mr Hunt from Texas for five minutes foreign a country Without Borders sir is not a country at all a home without a roof and a home without a doors or is not a home at all I have three young children at my home they're all under the age of four years old my home is secure because I lock it up every single night because I care about their safety it's actually the number one role of our federal government is to keep our citizens safe I'm a combat veteran I'm willing to give my life for that West Point Guard flew Apaches in Baghdad and safety is something that's Paramount to me is actually the reason why I'm in this room right now is to figure out ways to keep our citizens safe when you're at your home sir do you lock your doors Congressman thank you very much for your service military it's the highest form of service thank you do you lock your doors at your home I'm going to spend um I take care of the safety of my family understood we in the Department of Homeland Security work every day to protect the Safety and Security of the American people so you would agree so you would agree that the American public should be afforded the exact same level of Safety and Security that you provide for yourself and your own family that is what 260 000 people dedicate their careers to I understand sir can you tell me the number of unaccompanied minors who have crossed our Southern border during your tenure as secretary very pleased to provide that data to you Congressman okay I've also heard that there are proposals of this Administration that say that the fentanyl is coming across our Southern borders coming through legal ports of Entry does that mean that no fentanyl is being smuggled across our border other than legal ports of Entry Congressman the U.S Customs and Border Protection data evidences that more than 90 percent of the fentanyl that enters this country is coming through the ports of Entry so so so that means there that there are other parts of the Border where fentanyl is pouring into our country that is precisely why we have dedicated increased resources both personnel and Technology to interdict more fentanyl in these past two years than in priority so I hear that but I'm really speaking for the American public and the people that are in my district that's not what we're seeing because we're seeing an increased number of people being murdered by fentanyl every single day you understand these numbers correct oh I do in Congressman that those numbers have been escalating for more than five years but they've escalated exponentially during your tenure chip Roy went through these numbers I was sitting here watching I'm actually appalled at just how much this has happened it is a tragedy the the devastation that fentanyl reeks on our communities and I look forward to working with you and with all of the members of this committee under addressing this challenge this requires a United effort this is not a partisan issue unfortunately unfortunately sir unfortunately sir it's become a partisan issue and I feel like we on this side are the ones that are truly trying to defend the lives of our fellow Americans Switching gears on this one this sir this woman is Kamala Harris she's a current vice president of our country she's also the borders are now that was dubbed by your boss you see on March 21st 2021 President Biden tasked vice president Kamala Harris with solving the Border crisis and finding the root causes of illegal immigration because as Biden said she is the most qualified person to do the job I'd like to make a motion to submit this transcript of Joe Biden's March 24th press conference to the record Mr chairman so moved it's been 855 days since Joe Biden named Kamala Harris the Border Czar has she solved the root the root cause of illegal immigration in your opinion Congressman you have mischaracterized the vice president's role the vice president is no no I have not mischaracterized actually that was the job that was given to her by the president United States of America how did I mischaracterize that Congressman the vice president okay so she has not solved the issue I think that's actually pretty clear and I think my college chip Roy did a very good job of articulating that I want to go to my next topic and this is something that the American public is really frustrated with because it's it's been brought to my attention and I think I've known known it for a very very long time but for those who are not watching the Secret Service is an agency that is within a Department of Homeland Security this has been the case since March 1st 2003. now sorry I'm assuming that you're aware that cocaine was found by Secret Service in the white house a couple weeks ago is that right yes according to Secret Service marijuana was also found in the white house twice last year twice and we don't know who brought the drugs into the White House which is the most secure building on earth and if we can't secure the White House then how can we secure the Border and without proper leadership I am so fearful that we have turned our beloved White House into a trap house and the American public deserve more far far more than that sir thank you for your time I yield back the rest gentleman yields back the gentleman from South Carolina is recognized thank you Mr chairman Mr secretary I have listened both in here and in my office today uh your testimony uh before this committee and I think the frustration that I have as the cleanup crew at the very end of this committee is that you seem to answer very eloquently all the questions that the other side of the aisle pose but when posed with questions specific questions about the border on this side of the aisle you seem to not have you seem to dance and Dodge as Miss Hagerman talked about the true answers that you you talk about uh you you filibuster if you will what people really are asking and these are these aren't questions that that are hatched out of uh some Think Tank these are questions that our citizens have because they see what's going on you know what's remarkable to me since day one of this Administration you've terminated construction of the border wall you restricted the ability of immigration officers to deport aliens who violate U.S law you terminated the MPP the remain in Mexico policy despite people on the ground talking about how successful that it was you abused Parole Authority to release illegal aliens and mass into the United States and and creating categorical categorical parole programs in violation of the Ana's case-by-case basis you refuse to follow federal law requiring aliens to be detained during the pendency of their Asylum proceedings you terminated Asylum Cooperative agreements with Guatemala El Salvador and Honduras you refuse to comply with the provisions of the Ina that require the Detention of Asylum Seekers you cut out you cut out immigration judges ice attorneys and the process of the Asylum system itself you support Sanctuary facilities City policies by giving them grants you implemented until it was enjoined a hundred day moratorium on alien removals you have misused has been talked about here the CBP one app that has institutionalized Mass parole and release policies in this country it's been described as a shell game pretty pretty fairly stated that you otherwise shift things around you you create definitions within your department that you think that are appropriate you create law which isn't your function and then you come before Congress and you say that everything is fine well we've been to Yuma Arizona sir and we've seen the devastation down there we've talked to people 70 sheriffs just last year said that there is no border at all we simply have no border left in Arizona New Mexico Southern California and Texas that's the national Sheriff's Association you've been held to account by courts Texas V Biden dhs's position quote position that the crisis at the border is not largely of their own making because of their more lenient detention policies is divorced from reality and belied by the evidence Florida versus the United States and the Northern District of Florida quote the Biden Administration have effectively turned the Southwest border into a meaningless Line in the Sand and little more than a speed bump for aliens flooding into the country by prioritizing alternatives for detention over actual detention and by releasing more than a million aliens in the country real quick let's play a video crisis on the border that just keeps getting worse these are live pictures of Del Rio Texas a town that borders Mexico where almost 9 000 migrants are currently camping out government data showing there were more than 220 000 encounters with migrants along the border last month the highest number in 22 years [Music] law enforcement leaders from federal state and local agencies announced Tuesday an unprecedented two-month long fentanyl enforcement surge along the Southwest border that resulted in the seizure of more than 4 700 pounds of fentanyl fentanyl being pushed through the desert around El Paso is up more than 355 percent compared to last year for the first time fentanyl is being smuggled between the ports of Entry there have been more than 200 people on the Earth Crisis On the Border that just keeps getting worse so the numbers don't lie 5.6 million illegal immigration or illegal alien encounters 1.5 million known godaways more than 2.2 million illegal immigrants aliens into this country meaning that 3.6 million illegal aliens are in this country since the start of your tenure it's astronomical 160 countries that people on the terror watch list that we know about 140 just this year it's at an all-time high so look this this this doesn't this doesn't lie these are the stats Mr secretary and so you come up here and you blame the former president and they say that they've gutted the immigration system you blame Congress for not acting but you know what these numbers weren't here for Obama they weren't here for Trump but they seem to be here for you so you like to blame other people for your failures and not doing your job and quite frankly the American people want to know how qualified are you to even carry out your mission because everybody else seems to indicate from local law enforcement to sheriffs to ranchers to Farmers to Citizens On the Border when I ask them is the Border more secure they say resoundingly no and that's on your watch sir without a yield gentleman's time is expired gentleman yields back the gentleman if we could uh let me just wait till the signs taken down there Mr Moore and then we'll let you have your five minutes with uh with the secretary gentleman from Alabama is recognized for five minutes thank you Mr chairman thank you Mr secretary for being here today I I'm certainly appalled at what's happening at the southern border and I know my constituents are too um your border policy to make every state a border state and uh I said my constituents were appalled but what's happening but I know a family who has personally been of suffering the consequences of your actions and uh in my district in second congressional districts in Alabama Autauga County Sheriff's Department arrested grevy Zavala a 29 year old illegal alien from Honduras for the rape of a teenage girl in Prattville Alabama in a restaurant the interesting thing is Mr Zavala identified I guess as a minor is what I'm being told but he was a 29 year old and uh Mr secretary why do you think it is and I'm into the Border a few times myself that we're finding so many IDs thrown down South of the Border just it's almost like if these people were coming here for to apply for Asylum they'd want us to know who they were and what they were up to but for some reason ID after ID are just piling up south of the U.S border what do you think that might be um Congressman uh first of all um very sorry of course to learn of the tragedy that occurred that was inflicted on a constituent of yours I understand that Mr Mayor let me say this sir um we've been apologizing to a lot of people for a long time at least in the last few months last few years even when the other party was in charge I had the White House the house and the Senate and we're continuing to apologizing to parents for losing their children to Fentanyl and for people getting raped in restrooms and for DUIs or people who are killing people with cars who have no driver's license and I understand the apologies but my people the constituents in this country are getting tired of apologies and they want action and so who's responsible for the death or unless the rape of this 14 year old is that you Mr mayorcus or is that President Biden or is it Congress who's responsible for that Congressman the criminal who committed the ACT is responsible I look forward to working with you to address the scourge of fentanyl that is causing so much Devastation and death I look forward to working with you to fix what has long been a broken immigration system I hear you but let me say this sir and you're aware of this too this Administration has created two things on the southern border drug mules and human trafficking and it's the policies of this administration because we talked about it earlier in here and you said four to five thousand dollars yeah that's just south of the U.S Southern Border in Yuma Arizona there's 109 different countries came through that small town and further south the Border they're paying the cartel seven or eight thousand dollars syrians are paying nineteen thousand dollars so the cartel's getting rich and the American people are paying the price in the form of crimes and drug deaths and so it we can sit here and talk and for four hours now or three hours terrible on this is going on there's a lot of apologies but not a lot of answers and we need answers for the American people and I think you're to be held responsible for that and and believe me it's not fun to have parents in here telling us how they lost their child to fit and all wasn't him but it's on your watch sir and it's on our watch and we have a responsibility to do something about that and so you know it just again the policies were turning a blind eye and people are pouring in here Sheriff Daniel said himself in testimony a few months ago he said the safest he's ever seen the U.S Southern border he's a four deck four decades on the U.S Southern border it's around 2018. he said the worst he's ever seen is now and so we have a responsibility of these people let me ask you another question this is an individual I just got this information um reports in November of 2021 DHS encountered it's something bossy an alien on the terror watch list now Mr bossy despite quote from the FBI highly derogatory information end quote this is in the FBI's database DHS decided to release him into the U.S because he was overweight and may have been susceptible to the coven 19. our overweight terrorists not a threat to the U.S loose because he was overweight and afraid he might get covered and he was on the FBI's list so are they a threat overweight terrorists Congressman individuals who pose a threat to National Security or Public Safety are detained that is the policy unless they're overwhelming of Homeland Security that is false well that's what the report is I'm not familiar with that report I look forward to reading it Congressman the weight of an individual is not relevant to their profile as a threat to the United States it is to catching cover though apparently this wouldn't allow me to repeat myself individuals who pose a public safety threat or national security threat are priorities for detention that is the policy of the Department of Homeland Security who's to blame for the the floodgates being open on the southern border Mr mayorcus Congress Congressman uh I look forward to working with you to fix what is clearly a broken immigration system the issue of migration the increase in migration is not exclusive to the United States during World War II there were 60 million displaced people around the world now there are over a hundred and seven we just had a report earlier today somebody said that there is no border in anywhere on the globe that is more porous if you will the United States border and more insecure and it's on your watch sir and without all your yield back Mr chairman uh the gentleman yields back thank you Mr secretary just a couple things to remind you I know you have some sharp people there sitting behind you um who work at the uh at the department there's a number of things we want responses to and I just I've been keeping a list throughout the things I just want to reiterate that and then we'll we'll adjourn the hearing let you get back to uh to your office we want to know the number of removals obviously we've asked that several times so if you could please get us that number we will put this in some kind of written correspondence to you but we just want to emphasize we want that number we want to know the status of the 14 000 Smugglers you've referenced in your opening statement what has happened is doj Prosecuting have you referred them what where what is the status if any of those individuals been arrested multiple times we want to know the status of the 140 on the terrorist watch list this year the 238 total over the over the last two years what their status is and specifically when you said the IG report was wrong and the ig's report said that one of these individuals in the terrorist watch list has been released into the country we want to know specifically how you interpret and why you say the IG is wrong then we want to know the parole categories that Mr Bishop raised in his questioning uh the how you can categorize someone and then still categorize a whole group of individuals and then say you're still going Case by case uh to meet the law when it comes to parole and then finally actually two less things the misdis Mal information committee within sisa within DHS we want to know the activities of that group we'll have specific question around that we want to know who's involved in that group and if it's still meeting and working with social media companies in light of the Court decision on July 4th from the Western District of Louisiana and then finally to the gentleman Mr Moore's question about the tragic situation of the young lady in Alabama we wrote you about that specific situation Mr McClintock and I wrote you on behalf of this back on May 24th and you've not responded to that so we'd like a response to that previous request as well so I think that's seven things that the committee both Republicans and Democrats I believe would like answers to and we'll get we'll get that to you in some kind of Written Letter ASAP but now you know and you can begin working on that and get it back to us if you could thank you Mr chairman you bet thank you for being here today the committee is uh let's see without objection all members will have five legislative days to submit additional written questions for the witness or additional materials for the record without objection the hearing is adjourned

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Length: 41min 9sec (2469 seconds)

Published: Wed Jul 26 2023