WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Peter Meijer (R-MI), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, and Accountability, today led a large group of his Republican colleagues, including Committee Ranking Member John Katko (R-NY) and Vice Ranking Member Michael Guest (R-MS), in introducing a Resolution of Inquiry (ROI) that would require the Biden Administration to transmit to the House of Representatives copies of all documents in their possession regarding U.S. border policies.
“For the past year, my Homeland Security Committee colleagues and I have been sounding the alarm about the unprecedented crisis on our southern border,” said Ranking Member Meijer. “The Biden Administration, however, has chosen to downplay the problem and mislead the public at every turn. As the U.S. continues to experience historic levels of migrants and deadly narcotics crossing the border, it is time for Congress to reassert its oversight authority to ensure that DHS is upholding our nation’s laws, securing the border, supporting our frontline law enforcement personnel, and being transparent with the American people. This crisis is the result of a failure of leadership, and the Administration must be held accountable.”
“There is no question that the Biden Administration has failed to properly secure our borders,” said Ranking Member Katko. “The Biden Administration’s reckless open border policies have resulted in a record number of illegal migrants crossing our border, a record number of illicit narcotics into our nation, and have made the ongoing crime crisis even worse. Americans deserve safety and transparency. I am proud to introduce this Resolution of Inquiry alongside my Republican colleagues.”
The U.S. has experienced an unprecedented crisis along the southern border, with an enormous influx of migrants and deadly narcotics crossing into the United States as a result of the Biden Administration’s weak border security policies. Instead of taking steps to support our frontline law enforcement officers and secure the border, the Administration continues to downplay and ignore the problem. There is a clear need for congressional oversight to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security is being transparent with the American people.
This ROI requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to transmit to the House all documents referring or relating to border policies since January 20, 2021, including information related to:
- Policies implemented and data collected regarding individuals encountered at the southwest border, including estimates of how many individuals have been able to cross the border without being encountered by CBP personnel;
- Total amounts of illicit narcotics, including fentanyl, seized by CBP, and potential explanations for changes in seizure amounts from previous years;
- Treatment of unaccompanied migrant children who have been encountered crossing the southwest border;
- Any analysis done prior to January 20, 2021, regarding the potential consequences of reversing or suspending immigration policies implemented under the Trump Administration;
- Reimplementation of the Migrant Protection Protocols (“Remain in Mexico” Policy);
- Use of Title 42 authority;
- Guidance relating to documentation required by TSA for migrants to pass through airport security checkpoints;
- COVID-19-related processes and procedures along the southwest border;
- Deployment of new and existing technologies along the southwest border to support DHS operations;
- Activity within the Department to track transnational criminal organizations that have engaged in human trafficking along the U.S. southwest border; and
- Communications between the Department and the Government of Mexico regarding unaccompanied migrant children crossing the southwest border.
Original source can be found here.
