Transcripts For CSPAN3 Homeland 20240703

Department of Homeland Securitys is playing a central role. Trying to safeguard our Natural History from the banks hearing. We are assessing with the department of Homeland Security needs. We are looking at missions within the coming year. We are making several investments to combat investments through michigan, as well as all across thes. Cyber attacks continue to pose serious threats. This past february, they disrupted thousands of pharmacies and hospitals. Last summer, microsoft faced a dangerous cut outsources criminal organization. This included foreign governments to our citizens. It is critical that we receive the resources that it needs. This includes Significant Resources for the leading Cyber Security agency. We have a chance to discuss the departments plans to secure our border. The irregular flow of migrants at the southern border continues to a string on Law Enforcement officials, as well as neighboring communities. Members of this community, they worked incredibly hard to negotiate a bipartisan border bill this past year. It would have been the most significant border bill in decades. Trying to strengthen our presence on the board. I would certainly like to take a moment to thank them. Thank you for your hard work, developing that compromise. Fortunately, they didnt move forward. I have many colleagues that would like to talk about solving a problem. It is so much easier to throw rocks. Even though the bill has potential to make substantial changes, it also would have provided Critical Resources for the funding operators. They got in the way. This is opposed to the Problem Solvers. These longstanding challenges, will have his budget with a chance to actually meet that President Joe Bidens budget request, includes resources for more Law Enforcement officials. This will keep fentanyl from reaching our communities. We have enough resources to the northern order. I was proud to secure funding, to establish the northern order center. This will create one unified focus, keeping the northern border secure. This is from both of our borders. Natural disasters and climate changes, has some of the most serious threat to the homeland. Ill be proud to work on efforts to mitigate damages and natural disasters. This is earlier on the devastating effects of wildfires. We certainly appreciate the work that the senator has done for that issue. We want to continue Disaster Response efforts did we have and how this proposal helps continue that work. We have different aerial systems, more commonly known as grounds drones. Drones can pose a serious secure threat to sporting events, concerts, and so forth. Trying to address this problem. We are going to expire this in may. We will keep working to make sure that we authorize and expand that we can continue to take citizens, air orts, critical infrastructure, and the secretary will provide a key perspective on how to address this increasing threat that drones posed to our communities. This is more serious than ever. The war in serial israel is going to be looking at anti arab, antimuslim actions. At the same time, they will continue to pose a specific domestic terrorist threat to the United States. Im proud to work with the department to address this problem. Making sure that we are adequately tracking the danger. Im glad that this proposal includes resources for the nonprofits and dirty grant. This gives organizations and houses of worship the resources they need to stay safe. I look forward to hearing how else we will look at those deposed opposed by domestic terrorism. These are a few examples of the many security threats that our nation faces. The solution is what we will do to have them proposed in the budget. This will be major for us to talk about today. We have a productive, professional discussion today about the Department Lands to communicate and keep americans safe. I will ask Ranking Member paul, for his opening remarks. Yesterday, your impeachment trial ensued in the senate. Ill see this is a happy day, or a day that i take relish or pleasure in. It is a sad day. In that debate over policy, this is what you have been telling the truth. We have disaster at the southern border. A disaster that is very southern to. This disaster cost them the loss of a loved one. Joe smith from venezuela, then they waltz in. There are rules about paroling people under Donald Trumps administration. A very small number of roles. The administration has become a blanket. He testified with the senator last year. The administration has admitted that it has a public and if it to have migrants come in as migrants. Million people come by, and we dont see them at all. Somehow, that is better. There is a Public Entity that did thats changing people as a group. I cant help but be said for the family. They didnt have to have this. He wasnt paroled for any of those reasons. We will get to that question and answer. Either you dont have the knowledge, but you ask about this all the time read how do they get into this country . What is the statute that allow you to do it . How could you sleep at night having done that . There are laws. This is about trentons administration, and what they believe in. It is about whether we have laws, and if you are going to enforce them at all. The last administration was enforcing the law. They were coming across. They have committed heinous crimes and murder. You will never get her back. That man came in. Apparently, there were let go because they said it was full. When the camps are full, you just let people in. We have a system. What is your name . We fingerprint you, then off you go. This is on the watch list. They were found to be on the watch list. We have people coming to new york, and we give them money. We put them in hotels. They assaulted police officer. Coming out past the cameras, they are flipping the bird to everybody in america. That is a sad day for america this isnt a matter of policy. We dont look at a more secure border. You are supposed to enforce the law yesterday was a sad day. The majority went ahead and set the precedent, that there wasnt going to be any examination did congress didnt rise high enough to be looking at high crimes within these demeanors read you probably just didnt feel true at all worried this was a fix that would have allowed 5000 per day before we would have taken extraordinary measures to try to slow down the influx of migrants. 5000 per day, was going to let them from the limits, still come to the ports of entry. It was a whitewash. All of the laws under Donald Trumps administration, still are under the administration. You can simply say that we are full up. This was the best thing that happened to them and others. You just dont utilize those powers. We just think you are not obeying the law. We had to reach a member of the cabinet. They chose not to, one way or another i look forward to trying to get some of the answers today. I hope you will tell the truth. I hope you will just simply say that you dont know about the family. You should know about the murder worried i hope you explain to us how he got to the country, and why that happened. Speak this is stand and raise your right hand these were the testimony you give before this committee will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so hope you got . Thank you. This is the seventh secretary of the department of Homeland Security. Distinguished career over three decades. Hes an official employer in the private sector. Director of integration services, and the Department System for the United States attorney district. Thank you, once again, for being in the committee. Chairman peter, Ranking Members, distinctions of this committee, every day, the department of Homeland Security carries out missions at the American Peoples expense cyberspace, borders, and leaders. This is going to be entering our country. As we speak, they are engaged in the response to the tragic Francis Scott key bridge. The combat the scourges of human traffic. This includes exportation and so much more worried this includes the insufficient budget did they deserve full support and they are looking at fully resourced dhs. Fiscal year 2025 budget. This is reported for both goals. I love the opportunities to discuss the post budget. This was founded in the wake of 9 11. We have high visibility targets. This was our primary concern. The foreign threat exists. Now we confront radicalized offenders, and already residents here in the United States. This budget requires an 80 billion increase for the nonprofit security program. This is so that dhs can help better communities. In the nationstate, they are targeting the critical infrastructure. They are trying to have the funding to improve. Fentanyl is reeking tragedy across communities. They have arrested more individuals for the related crimes within the last two fiscal years, then in the previous five combined. This is including funds for targeted operations. During a time when the world included our hemisphere, experienced the greatest evil since world war ii, dhs has maximized our available resources. The last 11 months, we have returned more than six and 30,000 individuals that did not have places to stay. Every fiscal years and 2013. The president s budget will further expand these efforts we have high x appointment personnel. The immigration system, was fundamentally broken. Congress has not updated the Immigration Enforcement law since 1996 28 years ago. Only congress can deliver on more important but for Border Agents. This includes science and technology. Our administration worked closely with the bipartisan centers, on a National Security supplement. This is going to be us remaining steady to work with you on this bipartisan action. Last year, fema responded to more than 100 disasters and they are helping survivors in the aftermath of major disasters. They will save lives and taxpayer monies. This is across all missions that. Trying to retain a different workforce. The president to includes 1. 5 million, to maintain our commitment to fairly compensate the tsa programs. The recently passed 2024 budget, will help with many of our operations. This was enacted, and appreciates a highland search. This includes support for cities dealing with related challenges, and cutting Critical Research and development funding. We are supporting that the extraordinarily talented and dedicated Public Servants of the dhs need and deserve. Thank you, mr. Chairman. The secretary is here. Two rounds for questions. I have a lot of members that want to be here. This is a very challenging time for everyones schedule. Im going to be very strict on the time. Seven minutes on the first room for everybody. Try to adhere to that with her to our colleagues at all want to ask questions and we will then take a break before the second round, to give the secretary some time. Roughly 10 minutes. We will try around 90 minutes. Whatever comes first, we will play it by ear. Five minutes. This is in the second round. I will be more aggressive than i usually am because of the interest in this committee to make sure that we stay to the time. I will start by leading by example, staying within my time. Secretary alejandro mayorkas, i am focused on ensuring that the dhs and the doj have the authorities needed to counter the evolving threat posed by Unmanned Aerial Systems or drones operated by bad actors. Your departments current u. S. Authorities, are set to collapse on may 11th, 2024. Leaving major events like the indy 500 and the new york city fireworks on july 4th, unprotected. Unprotected from is growing drone threat. My question for you sir, what would losing this authority mean to our combined efforts to protect the homeland . Mr. Chairman, the loss of our authority to counter Unmanned Aerial Systems, would leave us less secure, and less safe. The proliferation of unmanned cyst is for adverse uses, has only grown. The capability of the systems, has only increased, with respect to speed and distance covered. Payload carried. That system quite compelling. While i appreciate the dhs operation, i believe they have resulted in seizures of over 5500 pounds of illicit fennel. This is in the first two months of fy 2025 alone. Clearly, more needs to be done. Looking at dhss budget request, im concerned that the department is relying on congress to pass a supplemental appropriation, to advance the fight against fentanyl and synthetic opioids. My question is, how will the dhs address resources that address this challenge if Congress Fails to take action . Unfortunately, it has in the past did we do the most with what we have. We engage in strategic operations. We have nonintrusive inspection technologies. We deployed operating labs. We have criminal organizations to work with international partners. The department of Homeland Security do so much with the limited sources that they have. They have provided us with Additional Resources to combat fentanyl. This is no other than i have seen. You throughout my 12 years as a federal security. Ranging from cocaine to black tar heroin. I was looking at watch listing and screening practices from our nations are words. This report, including concrete recommendations that dhs should implement in order to enhance National Security. Also upholding travelers dignity and rights. Dhs, addressed the reform and politics. This is a holistic manner. We are establishing a watch listing and streaming Advisory Council and my question for you, what actions has dhs taken so far to begin to address these three recommendations and report . Mr. Chairman, we were published. We were certainly acting upon it read this is the highest purpose to ensure the safety and security of the American Public treated doing so well complying with civil rights and liberties. We have privacy rights. Department of Homeland Security, looking to get their own practices. We are looking at the offices of civil rights and civil liberties. We are also working with other departments and agencies. This is with respect to the recommendations, and the important recommendations that are reported the issue. I still have remaining time. Im going to stop the remaining time. I need to relieve temporarily, to look at the Armed Services committee. Senator, this is going to be here right now. I recognize the Ranking Member for his comments. Secretary alejandro mayorkas, your ministration, President Joe Bidens ministration, over 1 Million People have been paroled. Whats the criteria that you have used for parole individuals . Ranking member of the parole process, this is one that we executed according to the law that we make. This is with respect to significant public benefit. We have the urge for humanitarian reasons. For what reason was the alleged killer paroled . How were they allowed to come to this country . Ranking member paul, first and foremost, all of our hearts rake for the family. Secondly, the perpetrator of this heinous, criminal act, needs to meet justice to the full extent of the law. I will not comment on the particulars of the case. The matter is being prosecuted by authorities now. This is in the case of whether or not he murdered her. Why was he paroled . My same answer. You are refusing to give the answer . I have provided my answer. The document says that the subject is accused of killing him. He was paroled due to detention capacity. It was full. The detention capacity, is that allowed to be used for reasoning with role . Let me assure you that individuals who propose a safety threat, are the highest priority for detention. The reality with respect to this administration, but every administration that proceeds me, is that the number of encounters has exceeded the number of detention beds available. Is a statutorily legally allowed to use the excuse . He was paroled two to retention capacity. Is that allowed under the law . My prior answer stands. This means you are not going to answer the question . No, Ranking Member. I have answered the question. You havent. You have testified previously. You have testified today that there are two reasons that you can be paroled. Urgent humanitarian need, or significant public in a fit. The reason listed, parole, due to retention capacity, is this a lawful reason for paroling someone . Ranking member, paul, i am not a legal expert in this regard. Let me assure you that when an individual is encountered at the border, and they are deemed to be at the time of encounter, a threat to Public Safety and National Security, they are a priority for detention. If not, they receive a notice to appear, and replace enforcement proceedings. The number of individuals encountered at the border, exceed the number of beds available in our detention facilities. That is not something specific to this administration. This is something that has been remaining true. They might have more beds in mexico. The administration when you came into office, reversed 92 executive orders of donald trump demonstration. This allowed them to have people remain in mexico. Allowed them to probably have 90 less paroles than you have. You come to us, and you say you only had more registration and legislation, why dont you bring back the executive order that seemed to be working . You got rid of them for little purposes. Why dont you bring back the 92 executive orders that you reversed . I respectfully disagree with the premise of your question. That is because you refuse to look at the facts. It is still insulting to all of us. Insulting to the memory of others that have been killed by people who came into this country. March 2nd, illegal alien who got into the country, killed Washington State trooper, christopher get. Haitian men, entering the u. S. , was arrested for Sexual Assault of a 15yearold girl. March 21st, illegal aliens in el paso rush the fence. You saw that on national television. Illegal alien on march 23rd, murdered a 25yearold michigan resident, ruby garcia. Chinese national came across the border. The stories go on and on. I think a lot of people in america are going to be up old to know that you are refusing to answer the questions. Was it lawful to parole him . You say the camp is full. This is the federal prosecutor for 12 years they need to be held accountable for their crimes. That is not much consolation if you have waited until after he has murdered somebody. It this is the honor system. There could be some databases that you check. They would still let them go. Now, they have a new name and fingerprints. They have been given a new identity by your agency. Im saddened by the loss of loved ones for this. If it were me, i would be upset by this. I would be possible to make sure that another one doesnt get in. Im surprised that the democrats let you get away with it. Mr. Secretary, welcome. It is good to see you. On behalf of most of us, thank you for your service. You have taken on most jobs from anybody in the government. Im a big believer. Bipartisan solutions are true. Im not interested in having talking points, or getting on decisions. I just want to solve problems. Not a free man in paris, but a free man in delaware. They spent nowadays, but weeks. Maybe even longer, working with the administration. Particularly with you, to find bipartisan solutions. Serious solutions will help us address these issues. This is a shared responsibility. Looking at the secretary of this department. This is a shared responsibility. This is from the executive branch and the legislative branch. This will since the first created. When we are at our best, we work together. We work across party lines. We do this in this case as well. Let me just ask if again, secretary, if you could think back on the last several months. I mentioned three of our colleagues. As we turn the page, how do we actually solve this problem . What are some key lessons that should emerge for us from those negotiations . Senator, the senate negotiated bipartisan bill would have been transformative. It would have been transformative in two primary regards. We have resources to the department of Homeland Security, and the other Department Agencies in the federal government that administered immigration law. Field operations officers, or within u. S. Customers and Border Protection. Over 4000 asylum officers. More immigration judges. This is as an example. In addition, very importantly, it would have changed the system. The broken system dramatically. One of the greatest of our current system. It takes multiple years from the time of encounter. We have a final adjudication of the asylum case. The senate negotiated Bipartisan Legislation. This would have taken a multi year process. This draws people to the United States. This would have shrunk it to sometimes less than 90 days. That changes dramatically, the calculation of attending migrants. It would have empowered us to use expedited removal. We have a speedy and fair process for individuals not just in immigration detention. We have those outside of it as well. A transformative piece of legislation that was extremely tough, yet fair. I just want to thank you for that. Most of us go home at the end of a legislative week. I go home almost every night. We are going to be doing this for 23 years. I feel lucky to be closely tied to that state. I suspect that we are not in session. We have 3 Million People. This is for each county during the week. Businesses are based large and small. They have schools and medical school facilities. The questions i asked, i ask how you doing. How are we doing . What can we do to help . This is more of our year. Businesses large and small. They have a different responsibility. We have different players trying to respond from different communities. This includes Bipartisan Legislation. This is including the workforce. It includes immigration. That would help us in a legal way, provide a legal path. Stay here for a while. This was every week from our employers. I will pass to the next colleague. Can you please speak to the importance of funding the dhs budget request . Passing the bipartisan border deal so that the department can be promptly and properly resourced to carry out the work Security Missions . With respect to the bipartisan . Looking at the budget requests. As i articulated before, with a Significant Resource to the department. This is not just at the border, but in the asylum process. We can adjudicate those cases more rapidly. They have a shorter period of time. They have a dramatic impact to the border. The last thing that i would say before i turn it over, a heartfelt thank you to your family. I can imagine what it has been like to go through this literally last five or six years. Thank you to all of them. Senator johnson. Thank you, mr. Chairman, and mr. Secretary. Not only showing the undeniable reality, from a catastrophe from the border policy, but they also show cause and effect. This is what sparked all of the subsequent crisis use. Im trying to speak to what donald trump face. Because of the reinterpretation for settlement, he was rapidly looking at encounters in the border. It was rapidly increasing. This peaked in 2019. This was back in 2014. Obamas humanitarian crisis. Donald trump, took action. He used the assisting authority. We are looking at the floor settlement from interpretation. He secure the border. By april 2020, we were down a little bit over 500 individuals encountered at the border today. When you entered office, he reversed although successful policies. You opened up the border. It is a catastrophe. This is the number of people that you have let in. Why did you do it . Why did you reverse those policies . Why did you create this catastrophe . Senator, i respectfully disagree with the premise of your question. We did not open up the border. We enforced the law. Do you deny that you reversed the donald trump policies that could secure the border . No, senator. That is not what i said. We can first the law. You reversed the donald trump policies that were at the border. If we can look at your chart, forgive me. The chair is blocking them. The former president is remaining in public policy. This was implemented in january 2019. They saw an almost 100 increase in the number of encounters over 2018. You went down to 500 and with covid, you started spelling under title 42. You didnt have to do that. Let me ask another question. I was reading a list of a dozen people in the last four months. Publicized murders, rape, a two yearold caught in crossfire. Crimes committed by this country illegally. It has not been for your reversing of the donald trump housings. Open border policies. Those crimes would have been committed. When you go to bed at night, you have any regrets . Do you have any remorse . Do you have your complicity . It is within these crimes. Your open border policies are aided and embedded. This is the murder of americans. The rate of americans. People have lost their loved ones, as of this catastrophe. This open border policy. If you have any remorse or progress . Senator, two points. All of our hearts break for the victims of these heinous crimes. Second, the criminals who committed those crimes, are responsible. They would not have been in this country if you did not allow them through the open border action. Do you ever call up the families of the crime victims . Do you ever talk to the family . Senator, as i stated previously, all of our hearts break for the loved ones of those who have been lost at the hands of criminal conduct. So your heart is broken. You have regrets . You admit your culpability . Do you admit that your actions have resulted in the deaths, murders, and results of thousands of americans . I have the statistics here. Assault and battery, up 5. 7 times over the last few years and homicide is up 17 times. User from keeping people in this country illegally. This is up 2. 5 times. Messaging a direct result of your actions. President joe bidens actions. Actions of the democrats in the senate. They refused to vote to complete the wall. It would have helped. Secretary of Homeland Security, wants a secure border. They want the open border. They caused this problem. They wont admit it. Donald trump, the President Authority to open up the border. Now you refuse to secure the border let me paraphrase a pretty active quote. We were playing chess. They were playing checkers. We have the ukraine funding. We are in a lot other shape than we were three months ago on the border. You were negotiating to secure the border. You were looking at political cover for yourself and President Joe Biden. This is for the democrats and the senate. If you were serious about securing the border, you could have done it. You would have let it remain secure read he would have left those policies that work. They would have secure the border and allowed us to establish a functioning, Legal Immigration system. You blew it all up. That is the result. That is the catastrophe. You have been denying before this committee repeatedly, that you are a problem set her. It is a challenge. Your time has asked wired. Secretary alejandro mayorkas, you and i have spent a lot of time together. I would daresay that you and i have spent more time together than anyone here. We know things that congress can do to be able to attack this. The challenge is trying to get those things implemented. There is a rumor out there that they are considering a change in 212 f authorities. There could be some used during this time period. Could you give us some time . Im proud of the time that we spent together negotiating what would have been a transformative solution. This is to our broken immigration system. We in the government, consider consistently all the time what options are available to us. This is the responsibility of the government. We have not made any decisions that are in a position to announce today. I can assure you that we are considering all the options before us, looking at responsibilities to the people. I know youre making some considerations on that. When would we know . No consideration being made yet. I dont have a timeframe to present to you. There are clearly differences with how they have them enforcing the border. This is the same executive authority. The negotiated agreements, including el salvador at the time, we dont have the same agreement with them. We want to reestablish some of the same types of agreements that are right there. We dont have the same enforcement mechanisms. The courts step back in, and remain being able to reinstitute it. The enforcement is different. The differences that are there, one needs to be done, President Joe Biden, dhs, using all the leverages that you have, to be able to enforce border as obama and President Donald Trump did, this congress has a responsibility as well. This is what we had negotiated together. This is doubling the deportation flights, doubling the intention of the retention beds. Decreasing the number of immigration judges, increasing asylum officers. Changing so that there is a more rapid turnaround in that process. This is for removal. This is so that you are not hamstrung with some of the Court Decisions being made at best. All of these are dramatic changes that Congress Needs to do. I have been hard on members right here. We have work that we have to do. You and i have had conversations as well to be able to say that there are things the administration can do. I encourage the state department to be more focused on these countries. Turning people around. I encourage the department of justice to be more clear on things that they are not doing right now. The frustration that you here, is the sense that congress has some things that we need to do. We dont feel like state departments, are using every tool at the resource. We are eager to see the 212 f, and see what is being determined at this point. I think we had 5800 people that crossed yesterday. Obviously, that is an intolerable people number for everyone. Can you talk about special interest aliens . This is a Different Group out there that has been difficult to get information. This is a group that they have defined for a while. They have the potential for the National Security risk. Thousands of individuals have been designated as a special interest alien. We cant get any information on it. This committee that has the oversight, has had one briefing on it. This was a last year that has a bipartisan briefing. They worked for months to be able to get that one classified briefing on it. Since the briefing time, we have asked for a followup. We have nothing on it to get details. Where are the aliens coming from . What are the details on those . These are folks that your team has identified as massive security risks. Is our understanding, thousands of them are being released. Can you give us any clarity on that . Can you give us the access to anytime about those folks . Im very disappointed to hear that you feel that we havent provided you with the information that you have requested. I am working with my team to ensure briefing from those of you that are interested in is very important side effect. We have had six formal requests from this calendar year. We absolutely need more information about this. This is a very special concern to us. Trying to figure out how we get the result. You and i have worked on the supplemental piece. We included funding for 50,000 attention beds. Deportation flights have been dramatically increased. Part of the issue if we are releasing people, actually single adults, it increases the number of people that are coming. If we dont turn them around, we have immediate consequences. We have a delayed consequence. My question is, in the budget request, 34,000 beds for to request. Why that number, when we know that we could get up to 50,000 . At least 40,000. Why a lower number . What about a number that you know you need . Senator, the budget is of course presented on the context of the fiscal responsibility act. 2025 budget, was present before the 2024 budget was enacted read we fully support the 5000 attention beds. These were presented in the fiscal year 2024 budget. I continue to believe that in the context of the senates Bipartisan Legislation, 55,000 beds was an advancement in our efforts. We look forward to working with this committee. They are funding the detention beds that have been needed. We have to be able to get that resolved. That is a serious issue that only congress can result. The white house need to make the roof on it. If you dont mind on this, dhs is looking at the system Immigration Services being found in the statement. Parole programs that had been used, are allowing more people to come in. The Parole Program is looking at employer resources, from other immigration programs. We have experienced this on our offense they have been saying that some of these resources are final to the border. I would love to have a statement back from your offense. If that is true, what is being done to change it . If not, why . I appreciate you staying on that timeline. For those of you who werent here, colleagues are trying to ask questions. Everybody is scheduling tightly. If you can state your time, i would appreciate that. Senator romney, i appreciate your questions. In the last 3. 1 years, during your term, there have been more illegal aliens released into the question country, then from the four prior president s combined. I know there may be some in the country that apply that. I believe that frankly, if President Joe Biden is to be turned out of office, it would be largely because of that failure. On your part, and his part, is the person who is responsible for policy. I think a great majority of the American People believe, it is a political bomb for the president. This is an extraordinary crisis and failure. Do you believe that the numbers that you saw, it is released from the country. That is a crisis, and a terrible problem. That is a yes or no. I have said previously that it is a crisis. It is something that we work to address every single day. Thank you. Let me turn to the house of representatives. They took action to underscore the extent of this crisis. The democrats decided that they didnt want to spend more time talking about that. They are not intended to be hostile. The house said that you lied when you said to the house in a hearing, that the border was secure. Why did you say the border was secure . What do you mean by that . Allow me to assure you that i have honored the oath of office that i have taken more than five times in my 22 plus years of federal service. Let me go back to the question. Accurate and irrelevant. You said the border was secure. What did you mean when you said the border was secure . You have asked me know if that is a lie. I have assured you, that i have honored the oath of office. In what way was it not a lie . With the authorities that we have, it is as secure as it can be. Thank you. Second question. The house correctly noted that encounters at the border, and the people seeking parole and so forth, should be detained. He released them. Why did you release them . We release individuals into immigration from enforcement proceedings. This is when the detention capacity cannot meet them in detention. They do not pose a threat to Public Safety or National Security, based upon the screening and vetting that we have performed at the border. Clearly, that was insufficient, given the number of crimes committed by the people. Is there a law with the retention facility is full . I understand i cant put them in detention. The law requires this if there is more attention to space. What do you then do . Under President Donald Trump, they were sent back to mexico, as i understand it. Under your menstruation, they were released back into the country. Yes, senator. Do you want to explain . I want to be accurate with the data that i provide you. This is subsequent to this hearing. A total of approximately 70,000 people were processed through the remaining mexico policy. The balance was either detained, or placed into Immigration Enforcement proceedings on a nondetained docket, with a notice to appear. That is something that has been characteristic of our broken immigration system. How many were sent back to mexico . How many were released into the country . I would be pleased to provide that to you subsequently. That would be helpful. Asylumseekers should be evaluated individually. Why is that . Senator, i dont know to what the house was referring. We make individualized assignment determinations or officers are trained to do so. Based on the facts presented to them in each case. I would refer you to the articles of impeachment. I presume you would have had a chance to read. Is that right . I probably want to do that. This is the legislature that you did not follow. You or your Legal Counsel had to read that to make sure that you are following the law. They are not released into the country on block. It says that you did release on block. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I yield my time. Senator scott, you are recognized for your questions. Secretary alejandro mayorkas, you were the first in our countrys history. This is a sad first for our nation. Not because this wasnt warranted, because it was completely warranted by your failure that was being created by a wide order. I fully support with a hosted. Im honest that i am viewing your job performance. I do believe not just once. I think that is clearly a lie. This is from the consequences of your failures. I have talked to a lot of people at cvp. A lot of people at ice. They are doing the best they can. Your horrific policies make their jobs impossible. They have been clear with me about that. When i talked to people about you, they dont get it. Does he care about the thousands of americans have died from drug overdoses . Is this because of your preside biden have invited into this country. Do you care about the devastation that could happen at the hands of terrorists let into this country . Does he care that even the fbi directors have allowed into america . In my state, they are furious. They dont think that you care at all. Just about everyone i talked to believes america is in a way more dangerous place because you have allowed criminals, drugs, terrorists, and other dangerous people into our communities. Just as we love the House Committee on that report on the fentanyl, you have let them into america through the southern border. The article said, quote, the Chinese Government not only subsidizes the manufacturer and precursor chemicals, but the report says there is a investigation into illicit manufacturers by warning the targets of investigation one u. S. Law enforcement has sent a formal request versus federal agents who have described the notification of targets and pleading those targets to revamp operations to make it harder to track their activities. I cant imagine if i was sitting in your position i would like to hear this, but the government seems to know that because of your policies on wide open border, you and President Biden have created that they get to do whatever they want. Now, what we know with communist china, they want to murder thousands of americans with sentinel. China is poisoning our nation and taking the lives of more than 75,000 americans each and every year. I assume you know this. I personally cannot see anything that shows that you know about it. There are real consequences to secure the border and every victim has got a name. Unfortunately, real americans have been killed. Families are being torn apart by vicious crimes and deadly drugs because we have a wide open border and we do. I spoke about one of the americans that was murdered by communist chinas fentanyl that the cartels have pushed into our country every day. Her name is ashley dunn. Ashleys mother said that ashley was murdered by your failure to stop ethanol from pouring into the United States. Other interested americans like lake and riley are also paying the ultimate price for your failures. As we all know, laken has been brutally murdered. Your agency just confirmed that this monster was in the u. S. After being probed by dhs. Now, before, humanitarian reasons, you claimed you did not have the attention and capacity. That is not how law is supposed to work, but you did. It is against the law. If you followed the law, laken riley would still be alive. Many people have illegally crossed. 6 million have been allowed to stay here and you have rolled out the red carpet for them. There have been Sexual Assaults committed all over the country. Even in florida, a man was just killed. A man charges his death to an illegal alien. Let me go back to what i said in the beginning. The republican majority of the house has voted to impeach you for violating your oath of office. Whether you believe that is right or wrong, that has happened. But unlike what happened in 2019 one democrats voted to impeach the president and republicans controlled the president , Chuck Schumer decided to deny you the ability to defend yourself in a trial. It seems to me to let yourself defend and try out for a couple reasons. Either acting out of pure political interest are to protect incumbent members who do not want to talk about your members and the wide open border he has created and all the in the leash and it is allowing. Or he is terrified of exposing your failures to the degree that it would be extremely painful for democrats to explain to the American Public. Here is what i do not understand. Just a few weeks ago Senate Democrats all voted against a bill to stop illegal aliens to getting on a commercial flight with no verifiable i. D. This is shocking considering that a recent report identified in 2023 alone, your the transit of 320,000 and administrable illegal aliens to 43 u. S. Airports, preapproved by dhs on the app, many of them going to the home state of florida on commercial flights. And deporting illegal aliens who heard police like a violent attack on Uniformed Police officers in new york city by a group of Illegal Migrants. Some of whom with known gang affiliations unlawfully enter the country on your watch. And democrats vote against the laken riley act with similar parts of i. C. E. Before the tragedy strikes. It seems to me that democrats want to keep this border crisis growing and it is a crisis and blocking every attempt republicans make to secure the border but when it comes to you they shut everything down and dont allow you to speak. You seem like a smart guy. You are a former prosecutor. I am sure you know how to defend your actions. I am surprised you did not read what they said about you in the house. You can present a case to yourself about life not be guilty. Instead, democrats are setting a new precedent and destroying the rules and tradition to keep you quiet. Do you think you are being silenced because democrats are terrified of your record and unable to defend you or because they dont trust you . Senator hawley, you are recognized for your questions. Thank you very much mr. Chairman. Mr. Secretary, lets just come back to hosea borrow. You know who that is. I have a question. You know what he did . I know what he has been accused of doing. Which is . Murdering a young woman. And i was not the first crime he committed in this country. Was it . Senator, im not going to speak about the facts of the case because there is an ongoing criminal investigation. Have you read his parole file . Senator, same answer. Youre not going to say whether or not there is a parole file . Senator, i do not want to speak to the particulars of the case given that pending criminal prosecution. I find this interesting. This is a new answer today. You changed your answers all over the map on this and it seems to me that you just dont want to answer the question. Two days ago two days ago you were asked about this in a house Homeland Security committee. You are asked the same question. Hosea borrow. Why was he paroled . You said i dont know. You said i dont know. I dont have the case details with me today. Congress in bishops is you dont know and you said i dont know. I dont have the details with respect to the individual case but i would be pleased to provide them to you, congressman. You did not know two days a go. Interestingly on april the 10th six days before that you gave senator katie britt a different answer. She ask you the same question. She said why was jose abara paroled into the United States . You said there is no derogatory information that we were aware of. You are happy to comment on the case then. By april the 16th you had developed amnesia and today you say you will not comment. Which is it, mr. Secretary . Now that we have the file, i will tell you what the differences. Congressman bishop do not have the profile and senator brett did not have the profile and now we have the profile and now we all know the reason that he was paroled into this country was because lack of detention capacity, which as you and i both know is not a valid statute. And now that we know that for sure, this is right out of the profile. Here it is. Subject was paroled due to detention capacity at the Processing Center in el paso, texas. Now, suddenly, you do not want to talk about it. This is extraordinary. It is also a pattern with you. Let me try one more time. Have you read the parole file . Senator, i am going to give the same answer. Which one . The one you gave to senator brett or the when you came to congressman bishop or the one you gave to senator paul or do you want to try a fourth one . Senator, i will not speak to the particulars of the case given the pending of course you dont want to because it is an indictment of your policies. Lets just review jose abara and how he came to be here. On september the 8, 2022, he was encountered by United States Border Patrol in el paso, texas, and was paroled in the United States due to lack of detention pick capacity. A role that is not permitted under the statute. You and i both know you knew this. You know it when we were talking to congressman bishop. You know it when we were testifying to senator brett and you know it today. You just never wanted to cop to it because the statute does not permit it. C like to congressman bishop and senator brett, and now youre hiding behind the ongoing prosecution excuse because it is the last one left to you because you testified falsely under oath. Than on july 19th, 2023, abara was fingerprinted. This is in new york. The results indicate a criminal history. So in this country he has a criminal history then is arrested in new york by nypd, for what . Injuring a child. He is arrested for injuring a child. The offense was never prosecuted and the arrest was expunged. I am reading right out of the parole file. Expunged. Nothing is done to this guy. He had a criminal record to start with and in the country on the legal grounds and you have falsely and illegally allowed him in. Is not prosecuted. He is expunged. In november at this. Abara files an application for employment authorization and unbelievably on december the 9th, 2023, it is approved. So this is your policy and action. A criminal is permitted into this country on grounds flatly not permitted flatly contradictory to the statutes. He commits a crime against a child and then gets a work permit. You want to know why all the jobs in the last two or three years have gone to Illegal Migrants . Working people in this country cannot get a job. Their Unemployment Rate is what . High because of things like this. Then he commits the heinous crime against laken riley. Is this a record that you are proud of . Senator, you have misstated some facts. I have read from the parole file which you have said you dont recall, dont have, you misstated. I am reading from it. It is right here. And i am just pursuant to the speech and debate clause reading it into the record and the reason is you have lied repeatedly to congress and to the American People about this. They deserve to know and the only way they are going to know is if i tell them. I have just told them it is in the record now. I have read it verbatim from the parole file. Verbatim. I just want to know why did you change her story so often. Why didnt you just answer honestly to senator congressman bishop and brett. Im confident that justice will be vindicated in the criminal prosecution of the case. Well, hopefully he will get more of a trial then you got otherwise there will be no justice for anyone at all. Now, travis wolf. You know that name . Not off the top of my head. He is a 12yearold boy from missouri. This is him. Travis was killed on december 20th, 2023. I should say he is in a tragic attack on that night. He died some weeks later. Head on collision. The person driving the vehicle who has now been charged with 6 criminal counts is you know who that is . I do not but let me communicate that i know in full over the heartbreak over the family of this young boy who died in that accident. Well, she is an Illegal Migrants here from venezuela. Local Law Enforcement tell me that she was detained briefly at the border in 2023 and then released. And then she commits this crime. Multiple people have been stabbed in missouri by Illegal Migrants. Mr. Secretary, i know that you think your policies are success. You sat there and tell me over and over that our policies are working. You are on the record, years and years of saying that. Maybe you are working for your political objectives or whatever they may be. But they are not working for laken riley or travis wolf or the people of my state. They are in fact a travesty. What you have done is a travesty. And, sir, it is long past time for you to go. You recognized for your questions. What you think you member peters and Ranking Member paul. Thank you mr. Secretary for coming before the committee today. And let me just note that the tragedies and terrible crimes that senator hawley just talked about might be ones we could prevent in the future senator hawley and his colleagues had met on the other side of the aisle and voted for a bipartisan measure that would have significantly increased our detention capacity, our personnel would have changed, it would have changed policies for who could seek and be granted asylum, but as the chair noted at the beginning of this hearing, there are people it appears who are more interested in throwing rocks and solving problems. So i appreciate the hard work that you did, mr. Secretary, and your team did to try to help us broker that bipartisan deal that would have improved our capacity to secure the border. So let me just start with my first question. The most important task of the government is keeping its citizens safe. That includes keeping our border secure. Laster, dhs set a new record for the number of people it encountered at the southwest border. Based on dhss own data for this current fiscal year, dhs has already encountered more than 1. 3 Million People and the department is on pace for even more total encounters than last year. I have travel to our u. S. mexico border multiple times and i have seen and heard firsthand the challenges that our Border Agents and officers face. Dhs need to do everything it can to address the crisis along the southern border and improve operational control and track who and what is entering our country. Mr. Secretary, what are one or two specific resources or authorities that you need to improve the departments operational control of the border . Thank you very much, senator, for the question. We need more personnel. We need more funds to enhance our work with our partners to the south. More funds to execute more removal flights. To work our efforts with mexico, panama, colombia, and countries along the migratory paths. Lucky the key or one key, senator, is to reduce the number of individuals with whom we encounter at the border in the first instance. And then we need Additional Resources to ensure that we can remove those who do not qualify for relief under our laws as quickly as possible. We need a holistic approach and the Bipartisan Senate legislation that was negotiated would have delivered a holistic approach. Well, thank you. It also would have delivered additional help when it comes to the fentanyl crisis that we have and that is the topic of my second question. Functional and other deadly synthetic opioids are causing devastating overdoses in communities all across our country. Due to the strength of synthetic opioids, critical criminal organizations are able to smuggle fentanyl and smaller and smaller quantities which makes it far harder to detector. What Additional Resources does dhs need to detect sentinel that cartels smuggle into our country including and smaller and more difficult to detect packages . Senator, the majority of fentanyl smuggled in Passenger Vehicles and commercial trucks do all of our ports of entry. What we need there is funding for nonintrusive Inspection Technology and additional funding for more personnel. That is with ports of entry. Those are two examples of what is needed. With respect to the small quantities, we need additional personnel because there is a the minimus exemption under the law with respect to small parcels and i have visited our small mail facilities where we see dangerous narcotics smuggled into the country. We need personnel and technology to enhance our capabilities there. Those are just some of the examples. Well, thank you. One of the other areas we really have to push is with the supply chain to the cartels to the precursor chemicals. I have pushed the Chinese Government to do more to stop precursor chemicals to mexico from china which they used to smuggle and manufacture fentanyl into the United States. How are Homeland Security investigations and custom and Border Protection working to disrupt this Global Supply chain for fentanyl . If i may say a few predicate things, senator. We are focused every single day on the fight against fentanyl, which is the most dangerous drug that i have seen in my 22 years of public service, and i have prosecuted black tar heroin traffickers. The mortality rate, the fatality that fentanyl causes is unprecedented. And we fight every day against this scourge. It is a scourge that is not one, two, or three years in the making. This has been many, many years. In fact, i believe it was in 2020 that 57,000 thats at the hands of fentanyl occurred. Just a couple of months ago, i met with my counterpart from the peoples republic of china to confront the issue of the precursor chemicals and the equipment used to manufacture fentanyl emanating from the peoples republic of china. And we are seeking to tackle that challenge in a very difficult relationship. But we are very focused on the scourge of fentanyl from all perspectives. Thank you. I will follow up on that with you a little bit more but i have one final question. I want to ask about the departments efforts to assess two growing threats to the homeland. Isis attacks on the russian concert hall in march shows it has grown its operational capabilities to strike anywhere in the world. Laster michael kurilla, defender of fed calm, predicted that isis k would be able to attack in as little as six months and with little to no warning. That is his quote. Dhs and partners need to be. Epared for isis separately, we also witnessed iran launching unprecedented attacks. While i want his has typically used proxies, this time it launched a direct attack. If i could just ask briefly how did the department of Homeland Security and its partners and the Intelligence Community assess separate threats posed by isisk and threats to the homeland . Senator, as director ray put it, we are in a heightened threat environment for the reasons that you have articulated. Senator rosen, you recognize for your questions. Thank you chairman peters for holding this hearing and thank you for being here, secretary mayorkas, for testifying before the committee today. I will build on what senator hassan was talking about with combating fentanyl at the border because in january i did visit the southern border, again, and spoke with Law Enforcement personnel about the work they do to stop the flow of illicit drugs into our country and halting the flow of deadly substances by fentanyl is one of my top priorities. I think it is everybodys top priority. I would be proud to work across the aisle to pass commonsense Bipartisan Legislation to keep our Community Safe and just last month i am proud to say President Biden signed into law the end fentanyl act which i introduced with senator scott on the committee rick scott in senator hassan. It will help us crackdown on drug smuggling by requiring cdp to update guidance at least once every three years and make sure it is up to date on all new substances. During my visit to the border, i was also able to see how cdp officers used tools including advanced technology to improve security at the border, however i was extremely concerned to see a recent report of many of the hightech scanners that we provided officers for coming in on vehicles. They are sitting unused in warehouses. And that is because congress has not provided the funding to install them. So the bipartisan Border Security supplemental that you helped negotiate, i was proud to vote for it and it did include money for the installation. But some of my colleagues across the aisle block the passage. So, mr. Secretary, can you tell us a bit more about how important these scanners are . This new technology at stopping fentanyl. Not just the big packages but the small ones. And how this is a system for border processes and how it limits the influx of fentanyl and further how is the failure to further install such scanners undermining cdps mission to stop the flow into the u. S. . Senator, i look forward to working with you on the legislation that you have presented. The nonintrusive technology is extraordinary. It is a force multiplier. It enables us to quickly detect anomalies in vehicles which are the primary means by which fentanyl is smuggled into this country through the ports of entry. They allow our personnel to do other very, very important work. The failure to fund our full use of this equipment really reduces our Security Posture in our fight against fentanyl. But allow me to assure you that we do everything that we can with the resources that we do half. Well, we want to give you funding to implement and put these scanners and sell more trucks, more cars, more of every kind of vehicle can be scanned and we can use that Artificial Intelligence to help us drop the drugs. In addition to my end fentanyl act, i was also proud cosponsor of the fentanyl act in the senate Border Security package. This legislation would sanction drug cartels and chemical suppliers which you have been talking about. The precursor that come from china involved in International Drug trafficking. So can you speak a little bit more building up on what senator hassan talked about in the importance of not only preventing activities of International Drug cartels but also the activities with china stopping those precursor chemicals from coming here. What more can we do . Senator, we are working with countries, both partner countries and countries with which we have more difficult relationships to stop the flow not only of fully manufactured synthetic drugs and other contraband, quite frankly. It is vitally important that our border in our fight against fentanyl is not the first line of defense, but that we stop the precursor chemicals, the manufacturing equipment, from either entering our country directly or entering other countries with the prospect of the drugs being manufactured there and being imported and smuggled into our country. Welcome i hope these other fentanyl bills will not be blocked on their passage as well because it is important to all of us. Now, i want to talk about the daca renewal wait time. Dreamers who know no other home then the u. S. And are contributing to our Community Every single day. But due to significant delays in processing times, and application to renew their work permits, they are just taking longer than usual putting at risk their ability to work, provide for their families. I have recently joined several of my colleagues in urging sei is to increase the work period mother permits from 180 taste to 540 days, and this time i also called to provide greater certainty to Daca Recipients by reducing these renewal processing times in the first place. And so the uscis processing time doubled from 2022 to 2023 with many daca applicants waiting over five months for their application to be processed. Can you talk to us about what are the biggest factors contributing to this delay in processing and can you commit to working with me on trying to reduce the times and let us know what resources you need so we can provide them . Senator, you certainly have my commitment to working with you on reducing the backlogs and waiting times. We we are addressing the regulatory need to extend the renewal period for Work Authorization. Very importantly, u. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has promulgated a final payroll that will put the agency back on Firm Financial footing. And has not received a fee adjustment for i believe more than seven years even though there is a statutory requirement to be considered every two years. And so i expect the Financial Condition of u. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to approve for us to be able to hire the people that we can and address the backlogs that have indeed been growing. Despite those backlogs, i must say that uscis, as it is known by its acronym, has done extraordinary work over and above its normal mission requirements, whether it is uniting before ukraine or operation allies welcomed. It is a remarkable workforce which is characteristic of all the men and women in the department of Homeland Security. Thank you. My time is up. One more question i will submit to the record for antisemitism and violent extremism. We will submit that to the record. Thank you for that testimony today. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Yesterday, we saw Senate Democrats set fire to the constitution when they refuse to allow your impeachment trial. You, sir, as the better of joe bidens policies have set fire to the sovereignty of this nation, to the safety and security of this nation, and in total disregard to the law of the land. The secure friends act of 2006 requires you to maintain operational control of the border, and they define operational control as preventing the entry of terrorists, unlawful aliens, and narcotics. You know what, it doesnt surprise me now when i go back and talk to Law Enforcement officers in my home state and they tell me that the crime crisis is so bad that the amount of human trafficing, fentanyl trafficking, and the crime related to those is so bad that we cannot arrest ourselves out of this. I can triple their officers and it would not be enough to cover the cases. Mr. Secretary, how many people died from fentanyl in this country in the last three years or last year . Senator, i would be pleased to provide you with that data. What would be your guest . So you dont know . 20 50,000 americans have died from fentanyl poisoning, and that is on your shoulders. How many people have you paroled in the last three years . Any idea . Senator, i would be pleased you are in charge and have no idea. Is at 1 million. Is it 2 million. Is a 3 million . How many of those have committed a crime . How many people that you have paroled have committed a crime . Senator, if you would be if you would be pleased to mr. Secretary, do you recall a visit in january to eagle pass . You are in eagle pass in january. Do you recall . In that precise month, i made over 20 visits to the border so forgive me for not remembering it. The recall being in a room in eagle pass, texas, with a large number of officers. Do you admit the release rate was 85 at that time . No, as i testified before, i do not remember the particular exchange to which you refer. What percent arrange would you say are released . I dont want to guess but i have said before senator, i would be pleased to provide you with whatever data how can you come to this hearing and these are things i know and this is 1 100 of my job. So i know as well. We have multiple witnesses releasing 85 of the folks at the border. There is no way possible that you could vet that number of people at a time. 85 of the people coming in and illegally breaking our laws. No vetting process. Free healthcare and a plane ticket or bus ride to somewhere. You say you are protecting the nations sovereignty but you have really facilitated an invasion. Sir, this is an invasion. 11 million illegal encounters under your watch. Next question. Why are you mass importing tens of thousands of venezuelans into our country via parole knowing they cannot be deported because venezuela isnt accepting removal flights . We are not doing that, senator. You are not paroling tens of thousands of venezuelans into this country . Senator, your question was broader than that. The way you framed your question, we are not doing that which you asked. Are you importing tens of islands of venezuelans into this country . The term importation is incorrect. We have a cubanhaitian, nick whalen, venezuelan Parole Program. For those who dont have a basis to remain why are you paroling them knowing that venezuela will not take return flights . That is falls. We have in fact negotiated in the past removal flights to venezuela. Those are suspended right now. We also removed venezuelans to new mexico for example. So why do you say it is not correct when it has been suspended . That is why americans dont trust you or the government anymore. Because you are setting it up to twist the truth and giving incomplete answers. This is really a de facto amnesty orchestrated by your administration. There is a reason why venezuelans wont take them back. Next question. It is my understanding that we have technology deployed that helped track the number of got aways that have evaded capture by our Border Patrols. Is that correct . We do have technology that is a force multiplier for our personnel. Im asking you, has this technology been operational since you took the post . I would like to get back you if there is any deficit in its Operational Capability. Senator, i will be pleased to get back you on that. Has the system ever gone down under your tenure . I would be pleased to how can you not know that . Has it been done once or twice or weeks at a time or months at a time . Any ranger thought that you can give us . Do you keep track of it in any way, shape, or form . Senator, we deploy so many different technologies across the expanse of our department which consists of 268,000. Fa Technology Goes down for a short period of time, i may not have visibility of that. I am secretary of the department. You think it has been down for a significant amount of time or a insignificant amount of time . Senator, i would be pleased to provide you the information that your request and will look into it. How can you keep track of the gotaways if you have no program in place that tells you if this is working or not working . I am sorry, senator. Can your peer question . Yeah. How can you tell how many got aways you are reporting if you dont know when this technology is working or not working . In other words, how do we know that 2 million known gotaways is a good number . Senator, of the individuals on the ground and in u. S. Custom protection, i have the Operational Capability of equipment they use. They oversee counting the number of individuals who evade but you rely on technology to observe those as well and you dont know if you have technology that is working or not working. The answer you have given is you do not know. You dont know much of any of the questions and answers to the questions we are asking you. This is why we need an impeachment trial. This is why americans are demanding an impeachment trial. I yield back. 90 minutes here. I have one senator and perhaps another one. We will give you a full 10 minute break with your indulgence so we can get through this firstround. Senator butler, you recognize for your questions. Thank you mr. Chair and to the Ranking Member for the hearing today. Thank you, secretary mayorkas for joining. It is interesting, the nature of my colleagues energy and attention. When that same energy and attention seemed to lapse when there was an opportunity to do something to provide the kinds of supports, resources, and technologies that were requested, negotiated in a bipartisan way. So i find that that Energy Something for you to respond to. A note from myself. This is a hearing about resources that you need. And the it is required to execute such a role that you are performing on behalf of the United States of america. Let me just appreciate how your work and your teams work letter to last weeks announcement in applications and the competitive grant process for Shelter Services at our borders. I was recently in san diego, and our san diego ports of entry, talking with incredible men and women doing this work every day who dont get enough credit for the difficulty in challenges that they are facing. And your office and your team work with us to make sure that application and grant process was competitive. And so i just want to appreciate you for some of the work that you are doing it. In the context of the request of the president s budget and the work that your team is doing relative to ssp, it seems that there is a little bit of a disconnect that i wanted to ask you to talk to me about. Fema requested 130 million per ssp in fy 25. Yet, Homeland Security has acknowledged that the demand also exceeds the six and a 50 million that has been appropriated in fiscal year 24. Why is the budget request so low compared to previous years . Senator, thank you for recognizing the extraordinary work of the men and women in the department of Homeland Security. I believe we requested 830 million in funding if i am not mistaken in fy 25. I will have to drill down on that. I should note that the Bipartisan Senate legislation would have funded the program at 1. 3 billion. We make very difficult trade offs in the context of the fiscal responsibility act. There is no question that the demand for funds exceeds the amount of funds we have been provided, and that is why we are so careful in the allocation of resources. We issued our First Tranche under the ssp and the First Issuance and our next tranche will be under a competitive clause. Thank you, sir. We look forward to following up. On our part, we look forward to staying in touch about it. One other piece that i wanted to call just to your attention is another hack in which you are a component that you wear on behalf of our country. Senator hansen noted the incredible responsibility of keeping the American People safe. One such group of people are our men and women inservice. And, last december, under senator blumenthals leadership, there was a permanent subcommittee on investigations hearings relative to the Sexual Assault coast guard members. During that hearing, we learned that the coast guard had a ugly history of Sexual Assault that dated back decades. Even worse, we learned that leaders of the coast guard systematically covered up reports on the pervasiveness of that Sexual Assault. So, just, one, are there suggestions or requests he made in your budget to continue to hold these perpetrators accountable and to support those young women in the coast guard who are doing young women and men who have experienced such assault . Have you taken this on and what are the next steps that you are anticipating . Senator, thank you for your question. First, the fundamental point that it is a fundamental value of our department in the u. S. Coast guard specifically that everyone, everyone feels safe in the workplace and that individuals who make others feel unsafe need to be held accountable. That is a fundamental principle. A fundamental value. I can assure you that the United States coast guard is fully focused on making sure individuals are held accountable. That everyone feels safe in the workplace. And that the coast guard of tomorrow is better than the coast guard of yesterday. I have complete confidence. She and i have met a number of times and the United States coast guard is working in coordination with the departments Inspector General to ensure accountability where it is due. Thank you. I will yield back, mr. Chair. Thank you, senator. I will recognize senator ossoff and then we will take a 10 minute break. Senator blumenthal will be back in first up and still in the first round for him. But after that, we will take a 10 minute break for everyone. You are recognized for your questions. Thank you, mr. Chairman. And secretary mayorkas, welcome back to the committee. Mr. Chairman, i cannot help but reflect on what has happened in the last few months in the senate. No one, and i mean no one is interested in or takes seriously lectures on Border Security from Senate Republicans. No one. In one of the most stunning acts of political cowardice in recent american history, a bipartisan Border Security bill coauthored by a conservative republican member of this committee was put forward in the u. S. Senate. It would have tightened asylum standards. To stop exploitation of the asylum system. It would have surged enforcement resources to the border. It would have meant more expedited removals of those who enter this country unlawfully. It would have empowered the federal government to take the fight of the drug cartels who are laying waste to communities across our country with fentanyl. A bipartisan Border Security bill coauthored by a conservative republican member of this committee, and it was not just voted down by Senate Republicans. It was denied even a debate on the floor of the United States senate. Because the former president of the United States and he said this publicly thought it was not in his political interest for the nation to be served. It was not in his political interest for a bipartisan Border Security bill to be enacted by congress. The American People are smart. So all of the performative chest pounding today on Border Security is utterly disingenuous. When Senate Republicans aggregated their basic governing responsibility and refused even to let us debate and amend that bipartisan Border Security proposal. The American People see that and understand that. Now, mr. Secretary, the American People also see and understand what is happening at the southern border and just as they see the hypocrisy and cowardice of Senate Republicans on Border Security, they do not see success in the administrations handling of the crisis at the southern border. And i wonder if you have reckoned fully with the fact that you do not have a good faith partner in the Minority Party in congress willing to work with you to advance bipartisan Border Security legislation. You are going to have to rely on your authorities, and it is past time to do so. So, to the extent you have additional legal authorities, that you can responsibly deploy to control this unacceptable crisis at the southern border that threatens our National Security, it is long past time to do so and that brings me to the budget request because i cannot understand this mr. Secretary. It is a 3 billion decrease from fiscal year 24 for cvp. You agree, i presume, that the situation at the southern borders a serious threat to National Security. I do, senator. And that cvp personnel are essential to tackling this crisis, mr. Secretary. Most certainly. And that there were not sufficient customs control borders and agents at the border. Correct . We need more resources and one of those resources is additional personnel, senator. So why are you requesting a 3 billion decrease in fiscal year 2025 . Senator, the construct we have proposed is a baseline budget plus a 4. 7 billion Contingency Fund, and i am not certain that you are accounting for that 4. 7 billion Contingency Fund in the gross amount that we are requesting for fiscal year 2025. That Contingency Fund is really the model is that additional funds would be released to us based on the number of encounters that we experience at the southern border. And so that 4. 7 billion must be included when looking at our fiscal year 2025 request. Are those funds explicitly allocated and reserved for hiring and deploying cbp officers . Include our ability but the additional funds can be used for other purposes. This is an insufficient request of the u. S. Congress given the severity of what we are facing at the southern border. I would be very, very pleased to work with this committee and the congress on increasing the resources above and beyond that which has been requested. So given the urgency of the need, why did you not request more funding for customs and Border Patrol . Senator, we work within the context of the fiscal responsibility act. We continue to believe that these ordinary resources that would have been delivered under the senates Bipartisan Legislation would have been transformative. Not only in the provision of resources, but in the delivery of authorities that we currently do not have. Yeah. And i agree with you but President Trump killed the bill for political reasons and it is gone. You dont have a goodfaith partner in the minority here. Only you, through the funds that you request and use from the congress and the appropriations process and by using those authorities that there is discussion of you exercising, only you have the power to address this crisis and i urge you i urge you to act with utter urgency to do so. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you, senator ossoff. We will take a break and when we come back Sanders Blumenthal and cinema will be allowed their firstround question and then it is my intent to go into second round for those members who come back for a second round. But we now stand at recess for 10 minutes. Dhs taken . For folks have not asked questions for the first round, i will recognize senator blumenthal for his first round. Seven minute questions. And then it is my intention to move to a second round for those members who wish to come back. They will be limited to five minutes. Senator blumenthal, you will recognize for your question. Thanks, mr. Chairman and mr. Secretary for being here. I think whether any of us on this committee disagree or agree with you, your responsiveness to our questions, your willingness to be here, and, frankly, your patience are really admirable and i thank you for your public service. I want to ask about a topic that we have discussed briefly which is investigation we are conducting in the subcommittee on investigations concerning the coast guard. We have an inquiry into the coast guards handling of their internal inquiry known as operation fouled anchor. I am just going to be really blunt with you. We have been extremely disappointed. In fact, angry with the coast guards slow pace of response to that inquiry. We sent our initial request letter to the coast guard in september. For documents. Only about 3 of those documents have been received. And they are only responsive email records. I understand that the total document production includes 11,700 pages. It largely is consisting of investigative records. There are fewer than 300 pages of emails. I know they have other work to do. But this delay is unacceptable. And i say with sadness that it seems to reflect a resistance to coming clean about operation fouled anchor. And we have had discussions with the coast guard. We have prepped them on this issue repeatedly. And i would like your commitment to this inquiry to make sure the coast guard is responsive and i would like to ask you what you can and will do to make sure that the coast guard fully cooperates with our subcommittee inquiry including accelerating the pace of its response without redactions. Senator, let me allow me to provide my commitment to work with you and the subcommittee and fully supporting the commandant commitment similar commitment to work with you and the subcommittee. It is intolerable for anyone in the United States coast guard or any agency or office of our department to feel unsafe. We must hold perpetrators accountable. We owe it to you and this committee to be transparent in the work that we do to achieve the life of that value. The commandant with who i have met a number of times in relation to this investigation is fully committed to achieving that value to ensuring the coast guard is better tomorrow than it was yesterday to cooperating fully with you and your committee and you have my full commitment. Thank you. One of the apparent or stated reasons for the slow pace of responsiveness is the lack of the Technology Necessary to screen the documents. I am going to exaggerate a little bit, but they are using 1950s technology. Maybe it is 1980s technology but that is no excuse. If you were sent to the coast guard on a mission, you would not take as an excuse, well, our votes cannot get there because they have not been modernized. The coast guard ought to be responsive to our inquiry and it will send the most regrettable message if we have to in effect subpoena these records from the coast guard. So it is more than just good intentions. And i know that you have those intentions and i trust and hope that the commandant does its job to make sure survivors and victims are vindicated in this inquiry that operation fouled anchor, work product, and transcripts and interviews and whatever documents are relevant or are provided without unnecessary redactions. And i hope that you will fulfill that commitment. I most certainly will, senator. And i have approved a waiver of i believe it is deliberate privilege so that redactions can be eliminated in the subcommittee that you help lead. It receives the information that it needs. Thank you. We are going to press that inquiry with full of vigor and priority, and i appreciate your cooperation and partnership in pursuing it. I want to ask about a topic unlikely to be raised by my colleagues, which is plum island. And you are to be forgiven if it does not immediately strike a chord with you. One of the last gems of undeveloped land in the middle of long island. More than 100 acres. It currently houses the United States department of Homeland Security. Plum island Animal Disease Center. But it is also home to pristine beaches, wildlife, shorelines, habitats for hundreds of plants and animals. It is truly a treasure not just for new york and connecticut which share long island, but for the nation as a whole. Unfortunately, the operation of the new facility which is supposed to replace it, a facility that is going to be in kansas relocating that Animal Disease Center has been delayed. And it has caused a setback in the transfer of plum island. So the funding has been left in some uncertainty. The multiyear plum island closure and support program was estimated to cost 150 million. But that funding is now uncertain. They request notes that as a result of the delay, dhs will need additional funding to cover the cost of the plum island Disease Center program. I am very concerned about the delay. I hope that you can commit to working with me and my colleagues from connecticut and new york to finding a longterm conservation housing plan on plum island that will avoid commercial development and a degradation of this pristine and treasured natural resource. Good deal, senator. Senator sinema, recognize for your questions. Thank you for your questions and for secretary mayorkas for being here today. I went to correct a few statements that have been made related to the bipartisan Border Security proposal. We introduced it earlier this year along with senator lankford and senator murphy. First it was misinformation related to the 5000 daily entries. It was actually 4000 encounters that triggered a closure of the border. And once we hit that number, including individuals who enter through our ports of entry, the border will be closed until encounters dropped to 80 of that threshold level so this number was actually based on capacity. This has worked closely for secretary mayorkas and his team allowing us to meet our International Obligations while making sure that we maintained detention capacity so that dangerous individuals would not be released into the country. Secondly, we assured that 1400 individuals were able to apply for asylum to a orderly process at ports of entry. These individuals would not be able to curtail or delay regular trade or travel. And for those who were granted access through our ports, they would no longer have been paroled into the United States for two years without a work permit. Instead, they would have been placed into a rigorous and rapid process with an initial screening within 90 days and determination within six months. And these individuals would not have received a Work Authorization until such time the legitimacy of their asylum claims had been determined. And that of course are the facts of the legislation which is contrary to some of the misinformation we heard here today. So, mr. Chairman, fiscal year 2023 set a new record for nationwide encounters. This year has brought no relief. With the tucson sector in my state alone encountering over 340,000 individuals, this is the busiest sector along our southern border by over 40,000 encounters. As you know, arizonas port of entry was called for an entire month so port officers could help Border Patrol agents manage the surge of migrants crossing the desert. That, as you heard from me, devastated the Small Businesses in the community that depend on international travel. So, right now, a normal day in arizona meets migrants are released directly to border communities. They do not have the infrastructure to manage these releases. This is a coordinated effort between cities, counties, and ngos. In phoenix there securing transportation out of the state. We tried to fix that problem with your help and technical assistance. Senator lankford, senator murphy, and i crafted a proposal that actually addressed and reduce the encounter numbers we have seen steadily increasing over the last decade for conwell partisans here in d. C. Have decided having a problem to talk about is more important than problemsolving, this does not mean that we can to stop working to provide relief in arizona. In arizona, we still must continue to find ways to make meaningful policy changes to secure our border and make arizona family safe and ensure migrants are treated safely and humanely. As you know, the secretaries help secure 650 million in fiscal year 2024 for the Shelter Services program to limit the burden on financial the financial burden on local communities. I was pleased to see the notice of funding opportunity published last week that gave arizona its fair share of the money available. As you know, this money has come quite late. We were just days away from pima county ceasing all activities to process and manage migrants. So what steps is chs going to take to make sure additional funds are distributed and that we do not find ourselves in this critical situation once again . Senator, one thing. Let me state i was honored to work with you and the other senators on the Bipartisan Legislation that would have been transformative, not only in provision of resources but in the change of authority in which we will be equipped with the most significant change since 1996. Longoverdue. We announced with the first distribution last week a competitive process for the second tranche of funds under the shelter and services program. We are going to receive applications for it for existing recipients, as well as those who are firsttime applicants and we are very focused on getting the dollars out the door as quickly as possible and as fairly as possible. Thank you. During the last meeting, we spoke about the margin of error. First of all thank you for following through on that commitment. Fema announced a 5 margin of number which is critical for ngos who are providing services. I was also pleased to see that the most recent fiscal year reward offers a cap on hotel booking. In order to make sure that ngos in arizona are effective with these grant dollars, fema will need to make sure that communication with our communities is clear and precise. How to make sure that information is clear and consistent and accommodating given the uncertainties of responding at the crisis at arizonas border . Senator, the model we have developed is to have an identified point of contact for each jurisdiction to ensure that the jurisdiction is receiving and timely fashion the information it needs. If there is any concern with respect to the consistency, accuracy, or timeliness of information, that is something i would like to know about, because we owe it to the local communities. So that they can manage their responsibilities. Following the end of title 42, they introduced a series of policies designed to incentivize migrants at ports of entry into deter arrivals between ports of entry. Of course, we have not seen the arrivals contract between ports of entry. It has been the opposite. We have seen increasing, growing numbers of migrants between ports of entry. So why do you think the measures implemented today have not been effective in what powers you need to reassert control particularly between the ports of entry . Senator, we have seen at times significant drop in the numbers. We work very closely with our partner to the south with mexico. Enforcement effort must not be exclusively at our border. It must occur prior to reaching our border. The best solution that i have seen in my many years of the department of Homeland Security is the Bipartisan Legislation that you negotiated with senators murphy and langford. That is a solution that we continue to believe Congress Needs to pass. It is transformative in the many, many ways that we have touched upon this briefly this morning. Thank you. Thank you, mr. Chair. Thank you and, senator sinema, thank you for the tremendous work you did on the bipartisan package. You are a true Problem Solver who is willing to pull up her sleeves. Unfortunately some were willing to throw rocks and not find concrete solutions. Secretary mayorkas, thank you for appearing before the committee and i also want to thank you for the opportunity to thank the dedicated men and women at the department of Homeland Security for the work they do every day. This will remain open for 15 days until may 3rd at 5 00. The submission of statements for the record. This meeting is adjourned