Transcripts For CSPAN2 Acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan On Presidents 2021 Budget Request 20240713

Care for migrants in cbp custody and stopping Illegal Drugs coming over the border. From later last month this is just shy of two hours. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] today, we welcome the acting commissioner of u. S. Customs and border protection, mark morgan. Mr. Morgan, thank you for being here today. We look forward to getting your perspective on cbps priorities and requirements for fiscal year 2021. The fiscal year 2021 budget proposes 15. 6 billion in discretionary funding for cbp, an increase of 714 million above the current year level. The total includes 2 billion for the construction of an additional 82 miles of border barriers, an increase of 625 million over the current year appropriation, and nearly 88 of the total fy 2021 increase for cbp overall. I have obvious concerns about spending another 2 billion on Additional Border barriers. But aside from any debate we might have about them, this administration continues to circumvent the will of congress by diverting billions of dollars above what congress specifically appropriates for this activity. The house bill will simply not include this funding. Even more to the point, however, is that the funding cbp proposes for border barriers would crowd out other investments that we all agree are high priority. For instance, it is unclear how many cbp officers are funded or even sustained in the proposed budget. Congress has funded over 2,000 additional officers over the last two years, but your budget does not annualize any of the positions. At the same time, you propose funding to annualize support for Border Patrol agent positions that were specifically not funded by congress. What explains this mismatch in budgeting . You and i have spoken about the significant challenges you and cbp face. I am committed to improving our security at and between the ports of entry, and facilitating trade and travel. But we must do it in a way that is consistent with our National Values and commitment to those in need. We must get the balance right, and so far, that is not happening the way it should. Specifically, i remain concerned about the treatment of single adults, families, and unaccompanied children who are apprehended by the Border Patrol. We must make every effort to ensure that all migrants are treated with respect and processed in a timely and safe manner. And cbp must work more closely with nonprofit groups who are available to help migrants both during and after their time in cbp custody. Failing to do so is not only a lost opportunity for migrants in desperate circumstances, it is also a lost opportunity for cbp. For migrants in the migrant protection protocol program, or mpp, and those in expedited removal programs who express a fear of return, cbp must ensure meaningful access to counsel, something that is not happening today even though we have repeatedly tried to work with you to address the issue. For programs that remove or return migrants to countries other than their own, such as mpp and the asylum cooperative agreements, how does dhs ensure they will be protected in the destination country . Cbp cannot simply wash its hands of responsibility for their safety. The u. S. State department has issued advisories warning against travel to some of these countries. Cbps mission is not limited to detaining and removing migrants from the United States; it also includes ensuring due process for migrants, including the opportunity to seek asylum or other forms of relief. Cbp should be working harder to balance those priorities. So far, cbp and the department have repeatedly erred heavily on the side of expedited removal, making it harder for migrants to seek asylum and gain access to Legal Counsel in the United States. So far efforts to address concerns about the safety and civil rights of migrants appear to be more of an afterthought, if even acknowledged and addressed at all by dhs. Additionally, while the department has provided some information to us on the mpp program, it has provided very little on the new expedited removal programs. We dont even have complete descriptions of how these programs work. Mr. Morgan, responses to our requests for information are not optional. The information we seek is necessary to carrying out our constitutional responsibilities. If cbp continues to deny access to information, the committee will have no option but to legally compel compliance through the fiscal year 2021 funding bill. I hope it will not come to that. Before he turned to mr. Morgan for summary of his written statement, the text of which will be included in the hearing record, let me first recognize our distinguished Ranking Member mr. Fleischman for any remarks he wishes to make. Thank you, madam chairwoman. Good morning, commissioner morgan. We welcome you to the subcommittee today to discuss the fiscal year 2021 budget request for customs and border protection. Yesterday we had a productive hearing with acting secretary will. You wont be surprised to hear that a lot of the hearing focus on many of your areas of responsibility and expertise. Everyone was respectful and i think with some very productive conversations. We are not going to agree on everything that our nations security comes first and we should all be very mindful of that mission. Commissioner, your people are literally on the front lines of protecting our borders. It seems as if every year it gets harder. I want to thank you and the men and women who serve with you for your dedication to this mission. Last year 90 900,000 people were apprehended at the southwest sot border for attempting to enter the country illegally. You might a Record Number of groups comprised of single adults, families, families it didnt fit ilLegal Immigration definition of the family, and unaccompanied children. And to be candid, we were not prepared. It was nothing would ever seen before. The facilities, staffing and processes in cbp and across the department were not set up to operate at this capacity. Im sure you solve the ripple effects across your offices in trying to deal with this crisis. So as we embark on another spring season, the budget before us, in my view, includes a very reasonable 2 billion request for continued border wall system construction, significant funding for Technology Procurement and implement, and ambitious plans for hiring. I am hopeful that we can come together and deliver the resources you have requested and need in order to continue to protect our nation. I know it is possible because we were able to come together and provide 1. 1 billion to the 2019 summer supplemental to provide humanitarian aid, medical care and relief at the southwest border operations. Further, we were able to come together in agreement on a fiscal year 2020 bill to provide another 1. 3070 5 billion for the border wall system as well as funding for technology, processing coordinators, inspectors, trade and travel programs and all personnel costs. Working together with my colleagues i believe we can do it again with this 2021 budget. I look forward to your testimony today. I thank you, thank you again for your service. Madam chair, i yield back. Ms. Granger. Thank you, madam chair woman, acting commissioner morgan, thank you for coming before the subcommittee today. Earlier this week i traveled with deputy secretary of defense David Norquist to see firsthand whether the administrations efforts have produced real results. This is by six trip to the southwest for since the start of the crisis and the fourth trip i made to the region since her last year. During my most recent travels i have seen three of the four texas sectors i also went with the president to see the first sections of the new fencing last spring but no matter what sectors station or port of entry visit, im always amazed by the dedication of people working there, and the cooperation across duties and assignments. I want to thank you and the men and women of your agencys who are working titles around the clock every single day to keep our country safe under sometimes almost impossible circumstances. Their commitment is a testimony to how important this mission is and the Cooperation Among agencies is the best ive ever seen. I would encourage all Committee Members to travel to the borders to see for themselves as i have the great Progress Administration has made. Hundreds of miles of improved border fencing have been built or under construction, new technologies are being deployed to spot persons come across our border in time to apprehend them. That was very, very impressive. And programs are underway to your asylum claims quickly right at the border. Things that we said from the very beginning, something we should work for. Even with these in progress we can team to have a crisis, youve heard of course you know the stats, 400,000 people apprehended at the border in 2018. Last year still very high. The most important issue we have is the huge about, this is in my opinion, the huge amount of Illegal Drugs being carried across our border and the criminals were bringing the drugs and people as well as children across our border. While the number of illegal crossings are down we are nowhere near the state of normal and the monthly numbers on the rise as we move into spring and good weather. As i was touring the processing facility early this year, i saw, this week also from a self important is the infrastructure in place to safely and effectively manage what the next year will bring. My home state of texas has the largest stretch of border. Its always been my priority to make sure the department of Homeland Security has the resources it needs to secure our border, keep our unity state sd assure the legal trade and travel. This is a vital. We will continue fighting for those resources. We look to you to tell us what you need, and not just assume its what you needed last year what were doing right today. Thank you for your work. Please pass on our good messages to those who work with you. I yield back. Before i defer to the commissioner, i do want to let members know that the order in which members with the called for question would be based on seniority of those present when the hearing was called to order, alternating between majority and minority members. Also to ensure that federal has ample opportunity to ask questions, i would ask each member to try and stay within the allotted five minutes. So mr. Morgan, please begin. Chairwoman, treachery, i am proud to be here im half of the more than 60,000 men and women in the customs and border protection. As americas unified Border Agency we work with the American People to safeguard our borders and enhance the nations Economic Prosperity by facilitating lawful trade and travel. At into between the ports of entry, on land, in the era, and water. Thank you. We will accomplish this through continued innovation, enhanced intelligence and data sharing and collection and collaboration both in the private and public realm. As has been mentioned are fy 21 budget includes 15. 6 billion in that discretionary funding with our priorities focus on enhanced technology, infrastructure both physical and i. T. As well as personnel. As our nation is witnessed, during the human turn crisis of fiscal year 19, the influx of migrant families and any come to children from Central America overwhelmed cbp and other Government Agencies and drain on resources. To put this in perspective, fiscal year 2019 sw. Southwest border Enforcement Actions was almost 1,000,000, thats 80 80 higher than the previous fiscal year. To make matters worse, this wasnt an president shift in the demographics we were encountering. Cbp facilities were not intended nor designed for Holding Families and children. In the face of these crises, this administration has made tremendous strides in reversing catch and release. Which was a primary factor for family and children who put their lives in the hands of smuggling organizations to show a disregard for their safety. The loopholes which allowed individuals to use a child as a means to be allowed into the United States has been closed. This administration networks of policies and International Agreements have enabled cbp to apply the consequence or alternative pathway to almost 95 of those who we apprehend, rather than releasing them into the interior of the United States. Its working. In eight much we see more than a 70 reduction in Enforcement Actions along the southwest border. Reductions of apprehensions are a welcome progress of the crisis has been just noted earlier is far from over. With the peak migration season upon us, the human smuggling organizations are continually changing their tactics. We must maintain this momentum at this includes continuing build additional wall systems in strategic locations. Cbp Border Security efforts extend well beyond the Legal Immigration and well beyond just the southwest border. During fiscal year 2019 we apprehended almost 1000 gang members, thousands of criminal aliens, weapons, currency and sees more than 800,000 pounds of drugs. Our air and Marine Operations contribute to another 300,000 pounds of drug seizures with our partners. Cbp also has a Critical Role in ensuring the nations Economic Prosperity. All cargo that enters the United States legitimately passes through cbp ports of entry. Fiscal year fiscal year 2019, cs almost 29 million Cargo Containers and an additional 600 million small packages entered through mail and express consignment environments. In that same time cbp collected 84 billion in duties, taxes and fees, and that the feed 5 increase from the previous year, particularly of the importance the cbp is the trade enforcement role. Relevant to every American Consumer we continue to see significant levels of counterfeit merchandise at our ports of entry as we are seeing the explosion in ecommerce. In fy 201919 cbp sees almost 28,000 shipments which would have retail value of over 1. 5 billion. These products harm American Consumers confront her Economic Security and damage the brand integrity of the United States companies. The facilities budget contains funding for the design and construction to replace old and dilapidated water patrol station as well as the construction of the humanitarian care center in the Rio Grande Valley. The budget also, im proud of this can contains funding for the first of its kind amo air facility in laredo, texas. Thats going to be an incredible milestone. Lastly, tcos have not and it will not stop looking for the next method or technique that were given strategic advantage for smuggling illegal contraband and people. Counterfeit goods, gang members, the list goes on that they smuggle into this country have permeated into every town, city and state in our nation. We must continue to be vigilant, stay ahead of the threat, and coverage of the address these our nation. I think the members of this committee for this opportunity to appear before you today. I absolutely look forward to your questions. Thank you. Commissioner, last year dhs announced a pilot to use Border Patrol agents to conduct credible fear interviews come something that by law has been the responsibility of the uscis. After going down to the border last week, my staff were told that cbp officers are now a part of this effort. We heard the pilot was intended to mitigate a shortage of uscis asylum officers. Is this accurate . If so, is there an endpoint were cbp will no longer provide agents and officers for this activity . Before you answer i just want to make the point that we have repeatedly asked for this information but no one has responded to us. First of all, on the issue of being responsive, we need to get better at that. So if theres any information, specifically about this issue, that is not been received i you, your or anybody on the committee, i will take that back and you have my commitment that we will get you the probation that you needed to fulfill your congressional oversight responsibilities. I fully support that can recognize it and agree with that and will try to get rid of that. We will give it at that. To address the actual question of agents and officers, yes right now we have about 75 Border Patrol agents that are part of that program. 16 cbp owes right now in the program. It is designed specifically as you addressed, the challenge is that we call the front and back end and stuff that happens on the back and affects the front in. So with the lack of asylum officers it creates backlog in the front end for us. And so the more that we can rapidly apply the due process and the asylum process, the more it alleviates or great end of issues for us on the front end. We do see this as an immigration continuum issue and we do see this as looking at it each as ever and is actually made a positive impact given uscis additional resources. Given cdts assertion that it has a significant shortage of Border Patrol agents and custom officers, how to justify pulling cbp personnel off the line to conduct a silent interviews . Why not get more asylum officer . Thats correct. I support uscis getting more asylum officers. I think its absolutely must and is needed but as they are going through the process again, its a balancing act because youre right, i am pulling Critical Resources from the lines to do this, but again, as we do that balancing, we see is a positive net gain for us on the front end because we are alleviating backlog and other conditions because of the lack of asylum officers. Its this continuum and it creates this cascading negative effect. At the end we did the costbenefit analysis and it is making a positive impact temporarily to get those resource. Its not intend to be longterm or forever. Uscis needs more asylum officers. Thats were i was going next was, because pilot programs require quantifiable metrics and a limited timeframe, though neither has been shared with congress about this particular pilot. So what metrics are you using to measure the effectiveness of this program . Its a good question, its key. To some degree as the commissioner, that really is uscis his responsibility to determine the matrix. For me its about helping them with the resource because has been some questions about well, is there a higher degree of positive or negative claims . As a commissioner thats not my purview. Im not given those agents and officers to help increase a positive or negative. Its just to help resources. That falls completely under the purview of uscis. They are trained by the use of the ca yes. Theyre supervised by cis or any matrix with respect to that would really come from cis. My time is up. Mr. Fleischmann. Thank you, madam chairwoman. Again, commissioner, thank you for being the force today. In order to manage the migrant surge in fiscal year 19 the department implemented a number of new migrant pathways, programs and pilots to find the best way to efficiently evaluate asylum claims or adjudicate immigration status. There are a lot of migrant pathways currently in place. My good protection protocols electronic nationality verification, humanitarian asylum review process and a prompt asylum claim review program that of all, online in the past year. Ive got a threepart question. Can you explain to the subcommittee what benefits these two pilot programs have had on the daytoday cbp operations . Can you provide numbers, either now or for the record, of how many migrants are currently enrolled in each program . And lastly, are you tracking any metrics or seeing in outcomes from this pilot programs that would lead you to consider making changes to these programs . So the positive effect, i think the greatest positive effect as you can see the last eight months, weve seen over 70 reduction in the flow. So about 144,000 in january. With in january. With around 36,000. That is the best indicator that these programs are actually working. Numbers, yes, we have those numbers and again anybody on this committee can any staff member the once those numbers we can give this to you. I have those. The mica protection protocol, for example, to date 59,000 individuals have been enrolled in that program. Pacer, little under 2500. Aca about 1000 and harp, little over 1200. We can teach you all those numbers. Lastly, what was the third part . Are you tracking any metrics or seeing any outcomes from these pilots that would lead you to consider making changes to these programs . Yes. Actually, to expand these programs. These programs, in pp, for example, was extremely effective so weve expanded the program along southwest border. Pacer again is a program that has been effective so were trying to expand the program as well as harp. Npp for example, make open to question were trying to expand that to additional demographics, for example, continental countries, for example, brazil. I say thats what were saying but these programs are effective and theyre working we need to continue to expand and. Really appreciate the thoroughness of that answer, and these are difficult issues. After the hundreds of thousands of people presented themselves laster at our southwest border it was obvious we need to make some changes. Im pleased with the changes have been made at a support the administrations efforts to address the challenges headon. In the time i have been many in fiscal 19 and 20 respond to multiple requests from you and, frankly, many members of congress from custom officers across our borders and ports of entry. Your fiscal 21 budget not only are you ask for more customs officers and agriculture inspectors come youre asking for for a reduction in the amount of people across your office, field Field Office Operation or leave the current workforce is more than sufficient to cover your needs and to protect this nation, thus allowing for such the a significant production . My other question is, what is the basis for the reduction you have proposed . Thank you for the question. Theres a little bit of timing issue with the 20 and 21 so were not looking for a reduction of cbos. What were hoping to do and i think some of this can be worked out through Technical Assistance as we are finishing 21 budget is through appropriations and through current user fees we hope to be able to fund the current plusup of at least 600 officers that we see. As we sing the volume increase, unprecedented levels this past year, obviously the use of these are increasing so we think thats going to be enough to annualized those cbpos. Went to get under this disagreement on this but weve asked for legislative proposals to increase other user fees modest fees like, for example, the immigration fees. They have been increased since 2001. 2001. Were asking for a modest two dollars increase. Thats when you get is a couple hundred million and we think that will support additional think its around 1400 additional cbpos. We are committed. We need more cbpos at the ports for all the reasons i think i put on this committee understand we are committed to. Thank you here treachery of my time is up. I just back. Mr. Price. Thank you, madam chairman. Welcome commissioner to the committee. I want to ask you about the practice of metering, socalled. Cbp has been engaged in the practice of regulating or metering asylum asylumseekerse ports of entry. That is not receiving applications immediately. Requiring them to wait on the other side of the border for a limited number of slots that may or may not open up each day for each week. That obviously severely limits the number of individuals who are able to take advantage of what we are supposedly providing them, and ability to enter our country and seek asylum. That appears to me, thats in direct competition or at least intention with the governments zerotolerance policy which compels all asylumseekers to come to the ports of entry to seek asylum. Thats what we tell them to do. But as result of meeting metering have a huge backlog denied entry. They have been able to even file their claims. They are stuck on the other side of the border. They may feel they have no choice but to attempt to cross over illegally. So i think one could argue no one to ask you about the empirical evidence on this one, could argue that metering is prompting ilLegal Immigration. I went to the border last summer and saw firsthand the effect of this policy and we spoke with migrants waiting outside the bridge, 102 degrees heat. Some had waited three or four months. For the names to be called from a list. For the few Slots Available for entry each day, and they know that once they turn themselves and, of course, they will need to spend time in crowded cbp facilities, Holding Facilities. But what lisk, you ask . Theyre there still cbp waiting. Theres no official process that allows migrants to wait in line. That list is run by someone different at every Mexican Border town. There is no transparency on how names get on the list, in what order to the list. When we solve the list was taped to win of the building and had 2000 names on it. 2000 names on it. The migrants told me no name had been called. No slots have been opened up for days. Congress had been increasing funding for your agency of the past several years. A lack of resources doesnt seem to me to be an accurate excuse for this kind of chaos for a list having 2000 names on it. So you can see that the questions are swirling around the situation. Given the number of Asylum Seekers seeking or waiting at ports of entry, what has the agency down to put internal processes and expand resources to handle this larger number of applicants . People do have legal right to claim asylum or to ask for asylum in our country. So whats the legal justification for denying them the ability to do so, for metering those pursuing asylum claims . And then what about the practical effects . What are the consequences of the metering at the ports of entry for people who may cross at, illegal, in places that are apart from the ports of entry . Its a complicated process, no doubt. Theres multiple things that we have to balance. There is a capacity issue. Its their real. It goes to the previous question about cbpos and we agree we need more cbpos at all the ports of entry. Not only to fulfill our complex bast will but to include this as well. Because youre right we want individuals to come legally to the ports of entry. I dont agree. Thats what we want. So we do need to improve our capacity. We need to improve our infrastructure, our physical infrastructure so we have additional capacity. We need additional cbpos so we can balance our wide and very deep mission. Its a balancing act every single day for the cbpos at every single port of to balance their Counter Terrorist mission, their counternarcotics mission, the lawful trade and travel, reverend elections was immigration. Thats a tough balance every single day. There has to be decision that are made every single day to balance, and so we dont always have the resources to be able to accept everybody that comes. I would say we dont deny anyone, but there is a process and we dont have the capacity to accept everyone that comes in immediately. What are your ideas for improving this . I mean, the capacity is one thing. The few slots that you open up for people to come and make this legal claim, those slots i would think could be much, much more accessible. You know, they would be more such slots and facilities and personnel for handling these applications. In the meantime thousands of people waiting across the border with no sense in many cases of how these lists were put together. Shouldnt cbp at least have an official list so, thats transparent so people know where this debt and how long a proximally they may have to wait . Im not saying thats the premise solution but it just seems intolerable for this to be this degree of arbitrariness and a lack of transparency to this system. People in this group, we visited with, had no idea, no idea if it would ever be called. No idea where they stood on this list. Its my understanding the conditions are deplorable. The conditions are terrible but if we could have an answer i would appreciate that. So again, i would not say its arbitrary, and i think im also committed to making sure, and he comes back, chairwoman, to open, its about sharing information. I am absolutely committed to work with you and your staff anybody on the committee to get you information exact have process is done, working to say we can approve the process. But again it does come down to a balancing act every single day as i described to browse the fascination with, counterterrorism, counternarcotics, lawful trade and travel and it does come down to both physical capability of facilities and personnel. Well, these are asylumseekers who are turning themselves in. This isnt come in the first instance, a security issue. Its an issue of how to accommodate these legal applications. Thank you, madam chair. Ms. Granger. Thank you. For my codification, tell me the difference in asylum officers processing core knitters and processing agents. So the asylum officers and the processing agent, core knitters, i think processing agent, thats the same thing. The only difference, saw some officers against uscis has that. They are the one that conducts all the screening. They own that. The processing agent is a new concept that the Border Patrol is come up with to really get badges back to the border and then special nonlawenforcement personnel that are designed to go to the Processing Centers to help facilitate the processing of families and children we will receive some specialized training in that but again nonlawenforcement officers do that. This last part i took it, very aware of trying to get the Border Patrol agents back to doing what theyve been trained to do in their part. One of the things i would ask you about, the new fencing thats installed. Can you tell me what the fact that sat on the unauthorized crossings and smuggling on your agents response times . And generally, the workload and staffing in the area, where the new fencing is existing. Antifa that question. Its showing and its proving what it has for the 30 years that we accused the multilayer strategy of Infrastructure Technology and personal. Thats important that when we talk about the wall its not just about the wall. The wall is not the sole answer but it is an integral part of that strategy of Infrastructure Technology up reciprocal receive a new wall being built in apostle with about 20 miles built and weve seen apprehensions and illegal entries, and gotaways all been reduced by over 80 . In the 20mile stretch. If you look historically in yuma and other places where the multilayer strategy of Infrastructure Technology personnel, weve seen the same stuff. It is actually effective. One of the keys is its about impedance and a no. Its not that it is dependable but it does the night and a bead long enough for Border Patrol agents to actually get there to do the apprehension and interdiction. And it works. What we do now is very different from the past that is not just the wall. Its a wall system. It has the access roads, the technology and integrated lighting in chemistry its a very different methodology, very different system, and its working. Thank you very much. Mr. Aguilar. Thank you, chairwoman. Thank you, commissioner. My first question to you, you talked in response to the chair womens questions about pulling critical recent somewhere to stick the thing. You met on humans that i want to talk about the financial side with respect to the border wall. I was inappropriate. I think all of us share a concern about cbt spending on a physical border wall especially when it is the number is not what weve allocated. According to the jl, cdts Border Security Improvement Plan doesnt include lifecycle cost estimates gao between 201927. Lifecycle cost estimates would be how much money spent on asset like the wall. As long as it can be used. This typically includes from the start of the project through the future repairs the budget request this year is 2 billion for the physical wall. Yet cbp does not lifecycle cost estimates available. This is in addition to the 10 billion in Construction Funds that the president the ps transferred or reprogrammed from other accounts. Just as refresher, at 600 million from treasury, 2. 5 million from dods counter drug activities, 3. 6 billion for military Construction Projects and 3. 8 billion appropriated for ships, fighter jets and turns. This is requesting more money for border wall and diverting funds from other accounts. All with the promise that this barrier would make our country safe. But as weve seen drugs can be smuggled over ladders, using drones and through tunnels. Even though, even with basic power tools. So while the wall can be effective at times and a layer that youve indicated, the true costs of this border wall are not known. Without this lifecycle cost estimate, will it be likely that we would have to divert future funds from other accounts to address repairs and inefficiencies in algiers . I am familiar with the gao report, and that was based on the fy 17. We have new fy 19 thats been completed. Its in the process for review. Were hoping to have that review completed and started to everybody speeded it has lifecycle cost estimates . That i dont know. Ill have to get back and get you that information. Im not specifically sure about that element of it, so ill get back to you on that though. But with the cost, again, what i would say is, is when we talk about the wall, i think its important that its not in place of or in lieu of other stuff. Just like when we talk about technology. Technology should not be utilized in lieu of the wall just like the wall should be utilized into of technology. We need it all including the wall. You mentioned it, that multilayer strategy of the Wall Technology and personnel. Its an integral part of the multilayer strategy going forward, and it works. It works. We have that data, and if were not gotten the data through we can provide that data that shows that multilayer strategy works. I think many of us would love to see that data. I dont think your team is been responsible. I dont think you been responsive enough to give us the data. If the 2017 did not lifecycle cost estimates and the gao told you that, some a little frustrated about that. I get the multilayer piece and i think thats fine. I think all of us would love to have a policy discussion but this is the body, the group that decide how we find those letters. Letters. I understand the suggestions are making. Ive expect the administration doesnt understand because we diverting funds without i could future out your costs and you doing it as a result of what, of funding that we havent allocated. Thats the concern a lot of us have. Lets stick with the gao specifically found that the b step, and i can only is the 2017 as you mentioned, doesnt include a methodology to analyze the costs associated by segment and by location. As well. Cost associate with the terrain as my colleague has mentioned bascom landownership and terrain. There are cost estimates as well that would have to do with those land costs for private property owners. Without a thorough analysis of deploying these barriers for specific locations how do we ensure we are not overspending in key areas . I do think the bcip addresses of those issues, and again they should be in its final state and we should be able to have its committee. Secretary said yesterday hes looking at a june timeframe that we should be able to have that, the new updated bcip ready for your review and approval. That will have by segment and by sector, give us different types of technologies that can be used in those areas . Will include life cycle cost estimate, these types of things were asking . When things i said before is what i need to go back and get more for dilley on is to the lifecycle issues. Well get that. Thank you, madam chair. Yield back. Thank you, madam chair, and thank you mr. Morgan for being here today. We has been at miss out on talk about the broad reach of drugs in our community. Whether thats marijuana, cocaine, heroin or fentanyl. These drugs are decimating communities across this nation to these drugs are literally killing our sons and daughters and the bulk of these drugs are come across our borders. We are taking a lot of her agents off the front line to do with the flight of migrants and it concerns me the reduction in manpower on the border may have negative effects on the drug interdiction rate. In fact, we have witnessed, chairman, or Ranking Member kaine to, myself, and others witnessed a drug seizure at a point of entry about seven to eight kg of cocaine when we were there last february. So the drug problem is actually real. My question to you, are you concerned about your having to pull your agents out of the field come during the primary missions to become basically caretakers for the surge of the migrants . And how are you trying to balance the need for apprehension, interdiction and other things when you have limited resources . First of all, i appreciate that you recognize its a difficult balance. At the height of may of one and 44,000 in in one month, we were taking 50 of Border Patrol agents, gun toter frontline agents and officers off the line to do the humanitarian. We knew the smuggling organizations were on purpose, with intent, using large groups to then divert our resources so they could smuggle drugs. We have that on video on surveillance and that was happening every single day. It was a significant issue. Thats why we talk about the drug issue, which by the way,s a Significant National Security Threat to this country, 68,000 people last year died from drug overdoses. The hard narcotics that i call, they are increasing. So far in fiscal year 20 weve seen around a 50 increase in math just the First Quarter of fy 20. Its a real problem. But we cant separate immigration problem from the drug problem. They are interconnected. The higher the immigration numbers are, the more resources that are pulled up to deal with that, the more drugs are pouring into this country and thats what its important when we talk about holistic threat is, by reducing the flow of Illegal Immigrants come into this country im able to put more part of the agents and officers acolyte to do our counterterrorism mission, Counter Terrorist mission and all the other stuff will responsible for. Some people have said the cocaine, the cartels and the transnational organized crime thats growing the drugs and trying to smuggle it in the south, or into Central America, and mexico, this is causing the in stabilization of the region which is causing the surge in migrants leaving their hometowns. And is the basis which is that is probably the cocaine trade and the drugs. Ive been an advocate for utilizing the National Guard on the border for over ten years. I know theyve had some very successful missions, but right now i believe we have around 5000 National Guard, some my fellow mississippi National Guardsmen serving on our southern border. Can you tell me how theyre able to help you do your daytoday mission . First of all i agree. I spent almost 11 years in the United States marine corps so i know the military well. They are providing an absolute tremendous support. Monitoring, detection, surveillance, the list goes on, about what theyre doing and how theyre assisting us. And again he goes back to the resource. Those are a Critical Role and jobs that theyre they are proo that it allows again to voters as i call them back on the line to go after the drug smugglers to seize the drugs and gang members, the criminal aliens come into this country. They had been invaluable in our support. One team, one fight. Under the National Guard is honored to be a part of that mission. So with that i yield back. We are honored to work with them. Into waters which will be the coast guard having to play an even bigger role in what they are doing. You are absolutely correct. Mr. First paying, i am impressed with your resume. It is good to see 70 that has experience and is apolitical. I am looking forward to good things from you in this position i will go pretty quick. If you cannot answer it in the time, get back to me. Border patrol tactical unit. On loan to i. C. E. For the time being. I recognize the capabilities they do bring to the table. I am trying to get a sense of priorities. Can you tell me what their role will be and who they will be targeting . How those pulling away this unit, all to the capabilities of cbp to respond to high threats at the border. Will they be conducting operations on their own or always be in support of vice operations . What i am concerned about, a swat team and the message it can send to residents of cities like baltimore which to the administration they have deemed a sanctuary city. Can you describe how they will be conducting business beyond our border communities . How many agents can we expect to see in a city like baltimore . Give me your word it will not have the appearance of occupying force. Number one. Second. The modular Surveillance System program or ms to is mobile surveillance capability. This Program Offers our men and women on the front line the ability to adapt to dynamic nature of protecting our border. Mounted on vehicles this becomes the eyes and ears of our agents in the field. It is a verified force multiplier. An Important Pillar of your border protection. For this reason, this committee completed 15 million and the bill. I have heard rumors that cbp is considering reshuffling funding to anonymous surveillance towers. I believe some of these towers are effective technology, it is no substitute for mobile surveillance vehicles. This move will be sidestepping the attempt of congress. Are they planning to file a congressional attempt in the budget for m2 as to systems in the fy 20 bill . While the understanding is a long pair of of their ability, how many units do you anticipate rolling out this year and what is your plan for phasing them into use . When you commit to enjoying the committee will receive the prior notification as required by law if they reprogram these funds . It is important we move forward with that program and not change finally, multi role enforcement aircraft. The budget included no money for air and Marine Operation for the last few cycles. Congress has appropriated enough for the production of three planes. We do this because the members are here in the agents in the field recognize the Aviation Assets are a critical proponent of Border Security. Furthermore we know the cost savings associated with the economies and rolling and assembly line. My question for you is if the committee complied did not provide funding for the production, how would it affect the future of the program and your opinion, are they in intercultural part of the plant air capabilities moving forward . Do you still intend to procure the amount required. If not, what has changed . Are you concerned how much it will cost to deliver these assets if the production line drives up to a lack of support. I did it this way, i cannot stay for another round. Answer is much as you can in the five minutes. I will try to go topline on all three of those and i will get back to you. I think its important because theres been a lot of misinformation. We are not deploying or attack teams. They are not coming to sanctuary cities like baltimore . There is no element that is being deployed. We have 100 individuals. Fifty officers, 50 agencies all volunteers. Some of them also happen to be agents. I saw some reports that we are going to be having these tank like Armored Vehicles and agents coming up as elements all swatted out. That is not happening. There will be a handful through multiple cities of the United States. It is like the task force. We do this every single day. We have agents on border corruption taskforces. Last year we helped i. C. E. With over 70 operations. We will look like them, dress like them. That is good to hear at this point. It is being managed and looked at. Yes, sir. I absolutely agree with how important that mobile Surveillance Technology is. I totally agree. We have to make tradeoffs. What we looked at in the autonomous powers, it is an integral need as well. We went back to Border Patrol and said if you have to prioritize right now, what would you prioritize . I think that is key. We used to call them innovative towers. It is really important because they are infused with ai. It will not take an operator anymore to run that tower. Selfsufficient, energy sufficient. They are semi mobile as well going forward. We are still committed to the mobile surveillance. Im concerned about the reason for the towers. As we work through the transition, we will work with the committee. The mea, real quick, i know we are running out of time, 1 agree on the mba. It was a tradeoff. We go back to amo and they said, hey, look, you have to prioritize. A couple things we need to prioritize. An incredible amount of funding to sustain what we already have and upgrade the technology in the aircraft we already have. Some of the technology is old and outdated. We need to sustain the aircraft we already have. The other thing was the Tipping Point for the priority. They really needed and amo air facility. That was really the tradeoff for fy 21. They really wanted this. It will be the first of its kind. The first time its been appropriated for an air facility the last part that i will make, i appreciate the committee, the 20 budget we asked for two me. You gave us another one. Appreciate that. That is kind of how that laid out. We are committed to the program. I appreciate all the issues. Thank you, madam chair. Actually, i want to go back to something that the chairwoman said earlier. It is one of my main concerns, being from the state of florida. As we continue to tighten up on our southern border, we are going to see, and we are seeing that shift around to the water. One of my concerns that changed just a little bit, you mentioned the 29 million Cargo Containers being brought into the country every year. I know our goal was to have 100 screening. Can you tell me where that number is at now on those 29 million . How many are actually being screened . To me, that is 29 million trojan horses that we are inviting into our ports every year. Potential events on every single one of them. What number is actually being checked right now . First of all, i agree that that is a vulnerability. We are getting almost 100 cargo manifest information. That is key. We are not at 100 , we are not even close, but with that advanced information, we are able to apply a network of a layered approach of Intelligence Driven operations to then target specific containers. If we can provide a whole bunch of information on how we would want that. But right now, about 3 . Three . Okay. I really look forward to speaking with lsf on this. I think there are some technologies out there that can really help us enhance that number quite significantly. Having been in Law Enforcement forever, this is a real concern to me. What is going on in these sports. I agree 100 . We are working through lsf to work with companies out there to continue to advance the tech elegy. Thank you. Second question. On the amo training facilities, i have one in my district and i know we are looking at a 50 increase in hires of air and marine operators. Are we going to have that at the academy . I know there are some improvements that are being looked at down there. Is that in the 500 million i think that i saw . It is. The numbers are showing we will get a little bit of support. Dont hold me to the exact year. A net game in amo. We are making tremendous strides improving the processes. We feel confident we will be able to be that. They are doing an amazing job there is some expensive travel that they have to do, well, expensive in time. I look forward to following up on that. Another concern, weve got a little bit of time, the ports and the number of officers that we have on the ports, sharing them with, like in jacksonville, jack port is sharing with our airport and those delays that are being created, that is really an economic hit to our ports. Can you talk about any kind of increases for those ports of entry . Those marine ports of entry particularly that are struggling with officers . I think that is a great question. We need more resources. I think that is why again we will continue to work through technical system for 2021. And increased user fees to make sure that we are not only annual lysing supplement that youve already given, appreciate that, really trying to work and show you why we really think, for example, additional fees should be increased. We think that that will get us, you know, about 3000 additional that we can put their multiple ports. You are looking at 750 Border Patrol. Thank you. With that, madam chair i dash. Thank you, madam chairwoman. Thank you, commissioner, for being here today. I wanted to ask a question about house report 116180 which it directs homeland to a higher or otherwise obtain services of Child Welfare professionals at every port of entry and Border Patrol station. Further directed dbp to provide an execution plan no later than 60 days after the fiscal year 2020 spending bill. The deadline passed last week. As you know, screenings and expertise provided by Child Welfare professionals will help prevent these childrens return to harm and needless separation family members while avoiding tragic deaths in custody. They mentioned that they did not feel properly equipped and trained to handle so many issues, so many sensitive issues in regards to children. Have you submitted the Child Welfare professionals execution plan yet as directed by congress . I will have to come back and get where that is exactly on the process. Even nine months ago, the transition that we have made on all things medical care has really been transformational. At the height will we sell this unprecedented crisis of families in childrens, we had 20 medical professionals that were available. Fastforward today, over 70300 medical professionals on duty 247365 and 45 locations. Since then we have conducted 65,000 screenings of juveniles. We averaged 80 hospital visits a day over 20,000 individuals went to the hospital. I could go on with the stats. I think somebody said earlier, when this crisis started, we were not prepared. We did not have the resources. We can give the facts that we absolutely have committed to continue to increase our care before, especially children and families. Thank you. I would just love to see the plan if you and your team could get back to the committee. Make sure that the medical professionals in contract or the increased number of folks that you are working with, which is great, but i want to make sure it is not at a lesser percentage because of all the additional children that have been separated or harmed. I wanted to ask another question. Ive been working with my colleagues from new hampshire. Cbp fiscal year 18 annual report assessing efforts to protect the response of sexual abuse and Holding Facilities. The report said there were only eight allegations of sexual abuse. We saw the Inspector General had received 23 reports. Just wanted to see what the reason was for the inaccurate or inconsistent reporting gmac for us, and from my perspective, it does not really matter. We are taking both reports. We will consume both of those reports. In the 2018 report there were seven total. One was detainee on detainee. We are reviewing both reports and looking for areas if we can improve on areas like that we will consume those recommendations and work with them to do just that. Working with the Inspector General as well . Of course. What actions will you take to make sure the report has accurate data on detainees that experience sexual abuse at Holding Facilities . Obviously, we have multiple entities that provide oversight. That is tough. We suggested we do, we have all of these different entities doing their own audits, which we support. We do try to influence that they work with each other so that we do not have inconsistent reporting. Bottom line, we really cannot control the different independent audits. All we can say is we fully support any oversight, any audit, any review. Given, just to close, sorry, given that officers are now working with dramatically increased number of people and vulnerable populations, what type of training have cbp officers have and have they had increase training . Every agent gets basic training in the academy. Training like that. We have heard it is one hour of a video. Is that true . That i do not know. They do receive specific training. That is another reason why it was mentioned earlier. Asking for the 300 processing coordinators. They are going to take over a large portion of that role. At their Academy Training they will get additional training specifically to the care of children and families. Thank you. I yield back. Thank you, madam chair. Commissioner morgan, thank you for being with us this morning. I want to thank you for your leadership as well as the hard work of the men and women that work with cb be. You have brought up border technology. An integral part of the defenses that we have. My state of washington, my district, i have about 100 miles of border with canada. Certainly it is something that we have seen, even though they focus a lot of times on the southern border, we see a tremendous increase in the amount of illicit drug traffic. Not only coming in from the northern border, but the maritime areas. I have been very happy to see the administration continuing to deploy. You mentioned that ast, the costeffective system of the autonomous surveillance towers. I think that is exactly the direction we need to go. I appreciate the speed that that has gone from a pilot to the process that we use. Simple technology in some respects and something that is costeffective. One of my questions is, given the success of that system, could you tell us your deployment plans and how we could move faster and how much it would cost to do so. On top of that, too, i am also interested in if you could give us information on how that kind of tech analogy, how it will be used on the Northern Borders as well, many people have been asking about our waterways, Maritime Security issues and how it could be utilized there as well. I completely agree. I thought it was important to include in my Opening Statement is not just about the southwest borders. Not just about ilLegal Immigration. A wide swath of issues to include the northern order. Absolutely threats on the northern border. When we talk about what we are doing, there is a list of things besides just the technology. Go back to the cbp owes, our design is to put them on the northern border as well as we increase those numbers. The towers and technology. With funding provided by this committee, again, greatly appreciated. We will work through what was enacted and how much money will go to the towers. We are hoping to get money for 200 towers. Some will be deployed to the northern border as well. That is part of our overall plan. It is the southwest border. The northern border is a part of that. Last july we published the northern Border Security strategic plan. An integral part of that. Not just land, but the see issues as well. The last thing, putting a considerable amount of money into the infrastructure of the borders as well. Facilities in new york, but still on the northern border. Just to reemphasize it, we are having issues there, too. My visits to the border, it has been explained to me that we are shorthanded there as well. Equally as vulnerable. Just want to make sure we have emphasis in those areas. Appreciate your input here today. Look forward to continuing to being a partner with you. Appreciate that. I yield back, adam chair. You can say that again, madam chair. Thank you. It is nice to have you with us. I want to stipulate from the outset that i assume you do not agree with the federal judge from holding adult and children and unconstitutional conditions. If you could answer the question i will ask you specifically, you can just agree that you think they are wrong so we can get the answer to the question. A lawsuit arose from conditions in the tucson sector. Frequently detained migrants for more than 48 hours without beds, showers are adequate food, water or medical assessments. That is unacceptable. Subject to substandard and inhumane conditions. We do have to remember that people that are detained are just that. People like you and i and all of us. The differences by the whims of fate they were born into more unfortunate circumstances than those of us that have the privilege of living in the United States. Are you currently aware of other facilities that mirror the conditions in the facility that was declared unconstitutional . Given the outcome, will you commit to reexamining conditions of all centers and the treatment of detainees . Have you ensured full compliance of this conjunction and how will it affect operations and treatments of migrants and other sectors . First of all, i think it is very important. I appreciate you upfront. You are right. We are not always in agreement. Im not saying i dont, i am saying im sure you dont. That really is irrelevant with respect to the issue. Here is a commitment. We continue to work with this committee, every committee member, every staff here to collectively talk, have meaningful discussions on where we think and how we can improve conditions. You have had such a grave situation in the tucson sector that a federal judge in joined you and those conditions included leaving people, people, for more than 48 hours without beds, showers, food or medical assessment. Are there other facilities in which those conditions are the same and will you immediately address ensuring that those conditions do not exist in any cbp detention center. We have to abide by the court order. We are taking steps to do that. I respectfully disagree with the courts decision that these are unconstitutional grave conditions. You think its okay to leave people without food, water, medical assessments for 48 hours or more . I think it depends on the totality of the circumstances. It depends on the capacity that we have. We are making efforts to improve that across the board. Im sorry. I dont think anyone in a position of Authority Like yours, like ours, thanks leaving people more than 48 hours without beds, showers, adequate food or medical is acceptable in any circumstance. Are you equipped to house migrants, including children in the first place if you cannot even offer adequate food, water, beds, showers or medical assistance . With all due respect, we can go back and forth. What you just said, you think in certain circumstances that those conditions are not unconstitutional. Is that what you are saying . I can give you an example. A single adult that comes into our custody, a single adult male comes into our custody, i do not think to say that it is unconstitutional that we do not give them a bed to sleep in. No. It is not just a bed. Bed, shower, adequate food, water or medical assistance. A federal judge in joined you from continuing those conditions and therefore that situation needs to be corrected in all of your facilities. Excuse me. Excuse me. Are you equipped to have migrants, no matter who they are, but including children in the first place if you cannot even offer adequate food, water, beds or adequate medical assessments. We are providing adequate food, shelter and medical care. Do you believe in certain circumstances you do not have to . No. That is not what i said. Sleeping conditions are separate from food, water, medical care. We are providing, we have been providing. The injunction covers all of those conditions. Correct. We will appeal some of the decisions. You will make sure that those conditions do not exist in any other. Any unconstitutional conditions. There is a fundamental disagreement on what those unconstitutional grave conditions are. What is unconstitutional and which one is it . I just said that. No. I just said that a second ago. Of course. We need to provide adequate food. We need to provide adequate water. Adequate medical attention. A judge disagreed. Thank you. I yield back. [inaudible] access to Legal Counsel for migrants placed where made following a review. What has cbp done specifically in response to the recommendations to address access to counsel. Some of the things, maam, we were already developing. Engagements with this committee. Engagements with Staff Members of this committee. It is not just the red team. Specifically, some of those recommendations are, for example , to provide counsel not just prior to the hearing but after the hearing. Providing Additional Information such as know your rights video. We have expanded those to provide them more than one time during the process going forward. There are, also, we have expanded Interpretive Services as well across the board. Specific concrete actions we have taken to improve access. Let me just point out one thing before i ask a question. The know your rights videos, my staff actually observed last week how the noisy nest in the interim hearing facilities makes it almost impossible for migrant to hear or understand what is being said. I believe the chair of the full committee was also on that trip. It seems like a situation where little additional effort could go a long way to mitigating the impact of the program on migrants. You know, due process. Such as a person know your rights presentation instead of a video. I hope that we can work to address that particular issue. Also, we have talked about this before. I still do not understand. Why cant cbp provide access to pro bono, i am emphasizing the pro bono part, why cant they provide access to those migrants at the interim hearing facilities. So, they provide the list of attorneys that are available which a good portion of those are pro bono services. I am not sure i understand the question. Those that are not, im talking about those not represented. My understanding is, yes, there is a list, but there is no answer. The person at the other end, even if they get the message, they do not know where to return the call to. My question is, why cant there be a pro bono counsel there . So that a person can actually go to them and ask for their help. Something is done in person. A presentation of know your rights done in person. There are legal pro bono counsel there. That migrant has the option of going in and talking to them. My understanding is also that if there is an attorney talking to a migrant, they have representation, if someone else is in that room, another migrant, and would also like to speak that person they are prohibited from doing so. Im just trying to understand , why cant there be access to pro bono counsel at the offset, talking about what their rights are and then being available for anyone that wants to take advantage. Im not fully understanding. Are you suggesting that we have a building where the attorneys are just sitting there and as a migrant comes for example, when you are having the video of know your rights. At that point, you could have, you know, a person, an attorney talking about those rights and having other attorneys present. After following that presentation, if a migrant wants to take advantage of that, they have access rather than a list of attorneys to most of the time, they dont get to talk to anybody. I think, with all due respect , a logistical, almost a possibility. I think it also goes into some ethical issues on, you know, attorneys. I understand the concern there. We are talking about pro bono. Not a an attorney trying to get business. Talking about pro bono. I dont know what the problem would be to have them do a presentation at these different locations. There are a lot of attorneys, a lot of nonprofits who said they would be willing to participate and do this, but they are constantly denied access. Lets talk a little bit more about that. Maybe there is a way we can address this in a way that would be beneficial. Hopefully we have shown that we are open to the continued dialogue and hopefully we have shown we have made changes to improve access. Absolutely continue that dialogue. We will. Thank you, madam chair. I want to thank the commissioner for his thoughtful and thorough answers. This is a process. The country is going through some very unprecedented situations. I am very empathetic and sympathetic. I think you will. This leads me to my next question. Last year we saw a significant surge of the migrants trying to enter the country illegally. This year reflects the need for Additional Support along our border for 750 new Border Patrol agents and an additional 126 new support personnel. Unfortunately, Border Patrol has faced a number of challenges in hiring in recent years, even to cover nutrition. What changes have you made to the hiring process to achieve 750 new agents this year . I appreciate that question. It is something that the team has been working on for quite some time. The first time in a long time, our hiring has outpaced. I think that that shows a tremendous amount of progress that they have made on the overall processes. Some of it has been on the technological side to improve our Data Collection and analysis of where we should go and how we should do it and where we should target. We are very confident that we will be able to continue that progress and to be able to hire those additional aged. Thank you, sir fl vtc have the capacity to train and onboard number of agents in one year. Have you attempted to resolve these issues, sir . We have. We have increased our academy capacity. We are already booked up through 20 in all of our academies are at capacity already. We are looking for additional opportunities to build that capacity, but it is definitely a challenge. I to share the enthusiasm for the new processing coordinator positions we funded last year. How is that progressing this year and are you optimistic you can add another 300 processing coordinator positions. The applications for those agents are astronomical. I dont have the exact number of applicants, but it is far exceeding the number we anticipated. We will be confident we can fill those moving forward. Most hard drugs in similar contraband smuggled into the United States come through our ports of entry. Congress has invested heavily in nonintrusive inspections, technology and i appreciate the department is working to deploy these resources are critical points of entry. Ports of entry. I have become aware of a new passive cargo Inspection Technology relying on particles first developed at Los Alamos National laboratory. Cbp pilot should assist in this safe effective efficient durable and successfully illicit drugs that were shielded in goods that are moved legally across the border as part of routine commerce. According to their own report, this new and emerging technology can immediately offer a sought after muchneeded solution when deployed to secondary locations. What is the departments plan to deploy this and other technologies at key points of entry, sir . I appreciate that question. It is a game changer. In 2019, again, thank you, 560 million, it really is a game changer. I think it is important on the technology, i think what you just represented, offtheshelf type stuff. Everchanging, ever evolving. We are working with investors to develop new Technology Like you just described that will enhance our capabilities. It is not just about this arena. It is not just about acquiring technology. It is about the right technology that will not just be effective today, but years from now. What we want to do is provide nii also preprimary. We want to do it so people do not have to get out of their vehicles. Just a few years ago that technology was large and cumbersome. We went to companies. A primary increase unbelievable. We are looking at every, looking at every aspect and how we can improve the technology and get the right technology. Thank you, sir. Madam chair, i yield back. Thank you, madam chair. Thank you so much for being here i appreciate the work that you do in your men and women, the work that they deal. One of the biggest issues we need to address on the border has to do with guns going south. The trade agreement for mexico, their number one priority. Second priority is how do we stop guns. Going north from mexico in, very good technology. We have personnel. We have k9s. If we can do something, and i know you all, i have seen some of you folks also do more of that work. If you have any government approach that we can work on, let me know. They told us the same thing. The mexican ambassador said this is a problem. Somehow we have to work with atf, dea, the mexican side because we have to stop this. If you can come up with the plan, we would be happy to work with the committee. Get the support to get you any k9s or technology, personnel, even if we look at personnel like we did the Border Patrol processing folks, the Law Enforcement, they can provide assistance, you know, just think outside the box. See if we can do that. We know the great violence. 80 of the god that drug cartel use are from america. 40 of them come from the state of texas. I am a big believer in the second amendment. We have to stop the illegal guns. I have been at the atm and ive seen the guns. They are not little guns. They are huge guns. Weapons being used. Your thoughts. I could not agree more on what you just said. We are looking at this as a whole government approach. To some degree we will not seize our way at the border out of this issue. We can do a weapons, acer and poe at a couple hours. It really has to be a whole governor approach with the investigators Intelligence Driven. We want to go into the interior. We want to go into the location that is shipping these. Make no mistake, weapons are our currency to the hotels. We are working with the governor of mexico. The attorney general has also on their, too. The whole governor approach with inner dictators and investigators. Working now to gather collectively. We have identified strategical cases. You know, yes, it will be interesting to have these ongoing discussions about Intelligence Analysts. To get more Intelligence Analyst to to focus specifically on these operations. Also, continue to put pressure on mexico to continue their use of e trade. Lacking in the government of mexico. You are right. Not just small weapons going there. They actually have done smiths in mexico getting these pieces and parts and building large weapons. It is a problem. You can put something together. We do not want to just talk about department of Homeland Security we have atf, department of justice and our friends across. I just think that we need to come together. A whole governor approach together. Thank you so much. Appreciate it. Thank you again, madam chair. Many of the Transnational Criminal Organizations are going to be increased and moving more of their operations to our oceans, to our coastlines. I will never miss the opportunity to talk up our coast guard who has an awesome National Security mission, so does your agency falling under the Homeland Security umbrella. Can you speak about your observation and your inter cooperation with the coast guard. It may also be a good time to just throw out the joint Inter Agency Task force. In key west. That is a perfect example of multiple agencies coming together with multiple nations working together to eradicate the drug smuggling. Those nations that are south of the american border know how disruptive and damaging this smuggling operation is. Not just to their country, but to the region. I give you an opportunity to speak to that. I agree with you 100 on the maritime issues. Talking yesterday a little bit about, and some depth and defense. We want to stop the drugs before they get to our border. The coast guard is tremendous in that effort. I am proud to say our operations provide more hours than any other agency. The last 10 years, somewhere around 63,000 hours provided by the coast guard. Last year alone, our side, 300 pounds of narcotics were uncovered with respect to amo support. The coast guard and some other partners. We used it in other regions as well. That is why there is a robust amount of funding requested to update our funding surveillance equipment and update the systems a lot of that will go to support the coast guard and Maritime Operations. Are the pleasure of having a classified briefing last week. Two chairs away from me was one of your guys. You could tell they work closely because the mission that they have is extremely important. The coast guard will probably also tell you, and you may as well, the National Security cutter has been a game changer in this. Sometimes the only u. S. Form of naval presence we have in south and Central America is a United States coast guard. They are able to stay on position longer and interdict more illicit drugs coming to our nation. What i would say, one of the reasons why it is so effective, so productive, it really is a whole government approach. It is the cbp aircraft, the p threes and the other aircraft that is there. Using the same concept working with other host countries as well. The Maritime Operations as well to help them provide that capability so they can interdict as well. Very proud of what amo is doing. We appreciate everything that your agency is doing. One last remark. 2 Million Pounds of cocaine has been seized by the United States coast guard. A street value of 26 million. Those entities that are partaking in this are a lot cheaper. I think that they pay for themselves. That is why we need more, not less. We need all of the above approach to fighting this. An airplanes and a lot of things thank you, mr. Morgan. Mr. Aguilar. I will come back to that building off of what he just said in just a minute. During a press conference in november you shared that in september 2019 there were 42,000 individuals that had sent back to mexico. You gave a larger number in your testimony. What was that number . 59,000. I appreciate your willingness. Get us all the numbers. In response to the chairwomans comments. How many of these individuals are children . I do not have that data in front of me. Do we have a tracking system that says what happens to individuals when they are returned back to mexico . That is a complicated process i would be happy to get more detail on that. Multiple things can happen. Right now we have a 50 noshow rate. We have individuals that just voluntarily returned to their country of origin. We have those that just drop out and remain in mexico. We do not have the ability to collect that data. Do you acknowledge that individuals are approaching cbp officers and saying they have been assaulted or attacked . What happens if someone does say that. I appreciate that question. That is a great question. Sometimes i think theres a misunderstanding. Any time in this process, they can claim fear. At any time. It does not matter how long theyve been there. Does not matter how many times they been brought back the they can go in claim fear at any single time. That process will be administered, that due process the same as it would any other time. Assault, kidnapping, Police Officers whatever the migrate brings forward good if they are claiming fear, that will be adjudicated. Absolutely. I would take issue with that. I am not certain that that lines up with the data and information we are hearing. I dont think we all agree on that today. 264 million. Sixtys 59 and a million in fy 20. This is in addition to the 182 in fy 18. Of the 705 million provided in the last three years, how much has been spent . I dont have that exact number. The question earlier, we are trying to be methodical and not just buying technology to spend the money. Making sure we are getting the right technology. Working with companies, working with manufacturers to provide the right kind of technology we need. It is working. I believe we have allocated the most of the money and we will probably go through 2021 on final execution of the 19 funding. You are saying roughly 180 million has been allocated and you think that fy night teen and 20 money can be allocated within this fiscal year . Not within this fiscal year. What is fair to say within the fiscal year . Probably by 2021 we will still have 200 million we will need to execute. I can get you the exact numbers on that. We have a plan to execute this. Do we have a plan to get to 100 . 80 inspections on cargoes . Or on trucks . Yes, we do. With the funding we have right now, we are pretty confident. You said 2 for cargo as well. 3 for cargo. 16 for commercial. Again, appreciate all the money. We are expecting to go from 2 to 40 . On the trucks, 16 to 72 . We do think that this investment will pay off substantially and increase our capacity. I think we will need to see some plans on how you get there, how you get there faster and how you get beyond 60 . Building off of what we have heard from my colleagues, i just want to make sure you are hearing the same thing. I heard many people say nii, all mention other ways in her direct drugs. Weatherby nii and coast guard investments and new technologies at the ports of entry. It is our responsibility to prioritize the maritime coast guard assets and investments, technology and drones, port technologies, screening those can painters and trucks. That is where we are actually interdicting the most drugs. Back packs full of drugs are not getting us there. We have to take these larger swaths and make these bigger investments. Most of that illegal activity. When we do not prioritize a border wall, i would say vanity project in a campaign promise, it is not because we are not focused on protecting our country. There are finite resources and we think some of these ways are better investments for our dollars. The constitution empowers us to make that decision. I know you want fee increases, i know you want changes, you want more money for different things, that happens when you have more trust. You get that flexibility when you trust we are allocating the dollars effectively. When you are listening to the appropriators on how we spend this. I would encourage you to think that through. All of these things are important. I have been there too. They like to counter drug money they receive from these task. That was stolen for the border wall. Thank you, madam chair. Thank you, madam chair. Returning to the border wall issue, the Border Patrol is overseeing an ongoing scheme to blow up mountains and the National Monument. As you very well know, this has been lived on since before recorded history. Sacred burial sites in the region. I would just like to know what gives us the rights to blow up their lands . Moreover, building or wall in this protected National Monument like the jaguar and wilderness. It will also worsen flooding and some that were destroyed here were around before the border even existed. Explain why the nation was not properly consulted before you decided to blow up the sacred land. They have expressed their total opposition. First of all, i would respectfully object to categorizing we are blowing anything up. I do not believe that is what i consider we are doing. You are not blasting mountains or destroying . We are constructing a border wall system that is desperately needed. Okay. I am asking you excuse me. Im trying to answer your question. No you are not. You are trying to defend the border wall. You are here to answer our questions. I am trying to. No, you are not. You are trying to defend the border wall. There is a process you go through in order to construct a wall. In that process, you are destroying mountains through explosives and you are also destroying things that are ancient and sacred good please explain to me, we are not properly consulted before you decided to blow up, eliminate, destroy, whatever term you want to use, they are gone, that sacred land. I do think words matter. I want you to answer my question, please. I am trying, maam. From our perspective, we have consulted with the nation. In what way . We have followed procedure and we have followed law. I would be more than happy to provide all of you the meetings we have had. We document those meetings. Just wait for the documents that usually do not come. You will have an environmental monitor present. Does that mean you will have someone there to watch the environment get blown up . The reference you are making to supposedly follow the laws here is that you have abused the real idea by waving environmental laws in its name like the endangered species act. Of the 21 times that the real id act has been invoked to waive federal law since its been infected it has been invoked by the trump administration. Talk is cheap. Im sure you would not like it at the federal government blew up your greatgrandmothers grave which is essentially what youve been doing here. I disagree with you on that but we have not been blowing up graves. [inaudible conversations] how have you complied with the consultation requirements you have with the tribal government of the . Again, there are competition requirements and processes and we have followed those processes could we cant just go on a land. There as a process. Im asking you specifically what youve done a. And i am trying to answer that. [inaudible conversations] we go into these individuals like we would any landowner and we have voluntary permission to go for the land and then we tell them and show them what we want to do and how we want to do it and where we want to do it and there have been times we come across issues and go in consult with them and i can provide you that have you given them any cooperation or mitigation or spoken words into them and then and done what you wanted anywa anyway we are working with them. They strenuously disagree with them and i strongly suggest that you can mitigate with them so you can be more on the same page but right now youre blowing up. I am committed 100 to work with them. They disagree. I will follow up. Actions speak louder than words. Thank you, madam chair. Mr. Morgan, i want to say thank you for working with this on the humanitarian care center for the Rio Grande Valley and the 40 million we appreciate that you understand why its so important to do that. Thank you for the requests also for the dollars for the construction of the air marina and you know exactly what that happened in laredo so i appreciated that. I just have to ask you about real quick, i ask you to make sure that you look at the language the a probations committee had about taking in consideration community and Environmental Concerns at the border. I appreciate what you are doing working with the bulkhead in laredo and i want to say thank you because you all have been outstanding on that part and i appreciate it. The other one around my area will be that is the oldest town when they have a u. S. National registrar that is part of our register of Historic Places and landmarks, recorded texas landmarks also and at the Laredo College i think theres a Board Meeting where the army corps asks for access and i thank you folks have some that also. There is a Historic Board macintosh that would protect the area they are. I know you all have about Historic Places but i would just be very sensitive on those areas as you know in the past we have added language and protected the chapel and the Butterfly Center and couple other places so in the laredo area we ask you to take the committed evokes in consideration. And hopefully on the bulkhead i hope that gives an example and portions that weve had a commitment to doing just that to coordinate trying to come up with meaningful reasonable compromises and we are committed to doing that. We spoke to the governor and hes willing to do the same thing so it would be an International Riverwalk like they have in san antonio. Thank you so much great to your men and women also. Before we end the hearing i want to strongly emphasize the importance of an open and transparent relationship for this subcommittee and within the department of Homeland Security. You made a commitment to write information and many of which this committee has been requesting repeatedly for months and i know you will outline them and you have staff here but its a quick note, the first detailed description for each of the new pathways for renewable programs, second the number of migrants in each program with a requirement that we also included in the 202020 appropriation that has not yet been filled and third, the information that mr. Price requested on metering and i note that our fy 2020 bill also had a requirement for a report on metering that is not been provided to date. This information really does impact how we make resource allocations decisions so we look forward to getting meaningful, accurate and complete information from you and i look forward to continuing to work with you on some of the issues that i still believe that basically there are areas of disagreement but our Main Objective of protecting our country is there no difference in that nor is there any difference in terms of the willie willingness of this committee to do every thing we can to make sure you have the resources to do what needs to be done to fulfill your mission. I thank you for being here and look forward to working with you. If you dont mind, i would like to comment on the open transparent i completely agree. I think that is one thing that cbp, i will speak for cbp that we need to get better at. We need to get better at being more responsive, timely and give you the relation you need in requests. We need to get better in that and i promise you im committed to doing that for all those reasons. I appreciate that. Thank you. This hearing is adjourned. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] weeknights next week we are featuring book tv programs showcasing what is available every weekend on cspan2. Monday watch discussions on pandemics. We begin with the brooklyn book festival featuring carl zimmer, author of a planet of viruses and ed young whose book is, i contain multitudes. Then, the next pandemic on the frontline against humankind the greatest dangers. Followed by Jeremy Browns book, influenza, history of the 1918 flu pandemic. Booktv monday, starting at 8 30 p. M. Eastern on cspan2. Followed the federal response to the coronavirus cspan. Org coronavirus. You can find white house briefings, hearings with Key Public Health officials and interviews with Public Health specialists. Review the latest events anytime at cspan. Org coronavirus. The winners are in for this years student cam video documentary competition. We asked students what issue do you most want the president ial candidates to address in the 2020 campaign . We received more than 200500 entries from 44 states with more than 5000 students participating with our winners telling us the most important issues are climate change, gun violence, college affordability, opioid crisis, Mental Health and immigration. It is time to announce all our first prize winners. Our first Prize Middle School winners are eighthgraders. Their winning entitlement it doesnt what party you associate with. Or he you end up voting for, if you have social social media will influence your vote. We have to exercise critical to get given i on it to follow otherwise the United States will be the next social media victim. First prize High School East goes to his winning documentary is titled overreach from the oval office. Everybody wants action but nobody wants a dictator. By reining in executive power we can ensure that washington remains balanced among the three branches of government. I asked the 2020 campaign how will you put a halt to the runaway train of executive overreach . First prize high school essential winners. There documentary is titled 200,000 about the opioid crisis. Johnson and johnson through misleading marketing over prescribed opioids and, as a result, oklahomans became addicted creating this new since, this opioid epidemic. The first prize High School West goes to tenth graders. Their winning documentary is titled vision 2020 restoring the integrity of american democracy. The more you get money from certain types of sources, the more you are devoted to those sources. What you want to be his be free enough to make decisions based upon what you think is in the best interest of your district and the nation. And now it is time to announce our 5000 grand prize winner. They are 11th graders. They won the top prize for their documentary this is about technology and data privacy. In 2016 Cambridge Analytic collected data to influence the 2016 election from 87 Million People facebook users of which only 270,000 had consent. This time we are not faced with music piracy but faced with personal information piracy. Congratulations to our grand prize winners. [cheering and applause] none of us have taken formal Video Production classes but we all got together as friends and did not do this as part of a class but we are at the Parker School right now and this is one of the top schools in the country and everyone around us is doing projects and everyone is thinking about working for Tech Companies but we were thinking that sometimes there are evident issues with Tech Companies, data breaches and all that stuff. We thought bringing a voice to the concerns of many witches about data breaches and privacy breaches would be important. It helps that we are in Silicon Valley which is the center and [inaudible] our student cam video documentary is awarded more than 1 million in total prizes since 2004. The top 21 winning entries will air on cspan starting april 1. You much all student cam documentaries online at student cam. Org. Now, a discussion with International Rescue Committee President and ceo david on