Republicans, Democrats Trade Barbs Over Border Field Hearing

Congressman Clay Higgins (R-La.A member of the House Homeland Security Committee, Clay Higgins (R.La.) criticized Democrats for their boycott of a field hearing at the border in Pharr Texas, on Wednesday.

Rep. Bennie Thomson (D-Miss.), is the Homeland Security Committee’s highest-ranking Democrat.On Tuesday, he announced that the Democratic side would not attend what he called a Republican effort. “score political points.” Democratic members of House Judiciary Committee skipped last month’s field hearing at Yuma, Arizona border.

Higgins stated to NTD News, that Homeland Security Committee members have already been required to travel to the border. “So putting a hearing together with a border trip just works very well for scheduling and for the purposes of allowing our members, the Republican members and Democrat members of the Homeland Security Committee, to have firsthand interaction on the border.”

“Unfortunately, the Democrats did not attend yesterday,” Higgins went on. “That means they missed the entire border congressional delegation trip, and they missed the entire hearing that we had down there.”

The Chairman of the Committee Mark Green (R, Tenn.) also criticised Democrats during his opening remarks to the hearing on Wednesday.

“The Democrats also talk about bipartisanship, how this committee is supposed to be a bipartisan committee. I guess for them, bipartisanship is only when you agree exactly with them,” Green stated. “To me, bipartisanship is where you sit down together and debate the issues and talk to try to find common ground. You can’t have bipartisanship if the other side fails to show up for their duty.”

Republican lawmakers asked witnesses during the hearing to explain what it means for them to have “operational control” at the border. According to U.S. law (pdf), “operational control” The border means “the prevention of all unlawful entries into the United States, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics, and other contraband.” Secure the Fence Act of 2006 obligates the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to attain and maintain this. “operational control.”

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated in April 2022 “we do” Have “operational control” Rep. Chip Roy (R.Texas) asked the question under oath.

Raul Ortiz, Chief of Border Patrol, testified during Wednesday’s hearing that border authorities don’t have a list. “operational control” U.S. law defines the boundary.

The Homeland Security Committee Republicans have determined that more than 1.2 Million people have been affected. “known gotaways” Under President Joe Biden’s Administration. “Known gotaways” Individuals who crossed the border illegally and were not stopped or apprehended by border authorities. The Committee Republicans also observed the arrests at the border of many individuals on terrorist watchlists.

Democrats Say Republicans Trying to Score ‘Political Points’

House Republicans brought in articles of impeachment against Mayorkas because of his handling at the U.S. frontier. Rep. Pat Fallon (R.Texas), in January brought impeachment papers against Mayorkas “willfully provided perjurious, false, and misleading testimony to Congress” With his comments about “operational control” The border.

Thompson, ranking member of the committee, said that Democrats chose to skip Wednesday’s border hearing due to their belief that Republicans planned it for primarily partisan purposes.

“Unfortunately, it has become clear that Republicans planned to politicize this event from the start, breaking with the committee’s proud history of bipartisanship,” Thompson made the statement in a joint statement with The Washington Examiner. “Instead of a fact-finding mission to develop better border security and immigration policies, Republicans are traveling to the border to attack the administration and try to score political points with their extreme rhetoric—despite having voted against the resources border personnel need.”

In his first days in office, Biden supported a bill called the “U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021.” The bill offers an eight year pathway to citizenship for the estimated 11,000,000 illegally residing in the United States.

On Thursday, Ian Sams, White House spokesperson, tweeted at House Republicans with a link that pointed to a report showing illegal crossings have fallen sharply in recent years to their lowest level since February 2021.

Sams also suggested that Republicans are seeking funding cuts that could reduce resources for border security efforts.

“Perhaps House Republicans could take the time at this hearing to look the Chief of the Border Patrol in the eye and honestly explain to him why they want to slash the funding needed to combat fentanyl trafficking, stop unlawful border crossings, and conduct other important law enforcement efforts at the border,” Sams made the statement in a joint statement with ABC News.

Green claimed that the Biden administration’s policies caused increased illegal border crossings as well as drug smuggling efforts.

“When Secretary Mayorkas took over, we didn’t suddenly cut the ranks of the Border Patrol. They have roughly the same number as the last administration. So clearly, the size of the Border Patrol is not the reason for this massive surge in people, crime, and drugs,” Green stated. “Not that we don’t need more Border Patrol agents, and not that we can’t put money in certain places.”

NTD News