Homeland security secretary jeh johnson discusses the federal governments response to the unaccompanied children at the u. S. mexico bordzer. Joining him, craig fugate and Customs Enforcement and health and Human Services department. This is about 30 minutes. Good afternoon. Im joined by fema administrator craig fugate, cbp administrator gill correspond cowski, i. C. E. Removal operations associate director tom holman and health and Human Services acting assistant secretary mark greenberging. Were here to update you on the steps we are taking to address the surge in unaccompanied children along our nations southwest border, focused in the Rio Grande Valley sector. Last year cbp encountered over 24,000 unaccompanied children crossing the border. By may of this year the number has already doubled to just over 47,000. This correlates with an overall rise in illegal migration into the Rio Grande Valley sector principally by what we refer to as third country nationals, those from guatemala,
Mention from every leader to that workforce. And important things. We are doing lots of experimentation in expanding telecommuting, changing the environment within the organization. But i think when that message comes across from all of the leaders, many of whom are seated in front of me today, that message comes across from all of the leaders about the importance and the value that they place in employees that i think translates well. The better that workforce does, the more efficient they are, the less sick time and on and on but many of you know this. We are hoping that we are going to be able to improve the way we show on that federal Employee Workforce survey. This is also an important issue with secretary johnson and also with their deputy secretary. When we work with this vision, we will improve the productivity and we will be better capable of carrying out our mission. Carrying out our mission involves sharing information and creating community. Partnerships and information sha
Kind of breakdown from you. I would like to request well, one of the things that i learned from my department of defense experience is clear guidance in is indispensable. You dont issue clear guidance to the field and the how it is implemented is not going to look at all like what you intended. D. O. D. , whatever they issue new guidance, they always socialize, train to it the field and down the chain of command and so i spent a lot of time talking to our work force about how to better implement policy changes that are issued in washington, out of associate how to verbalize them and im determined to do a better job in that regard. Good. My understanding is that under the programs, some 500,000 young people have come forward to participate. They are now many of them are now in the renewal process. I believe. Because it has to be renewed every two years. I understand that the department, your department, is suggesting that applicants apply for renewal up to four months before the expirat
Unaccompanied alien marine minors at our southern borders. The number of minors coming to our country has climbed from 6,000 in 2011 to an expected 145,000 next year. Some are calling it a humanitarian crisis. And quite frankly, it is. These, of course, are vulnerable children. They are being guided through deserted areas of adjoining countries with their lives on the line. They are escorted with strangers away from family in some cases, not knowing what lies ahead. Theres a massive potential for these children to be abused, and if the administration doesnt do its Due Diligence to verify the relative or parental relationship when it releases these children, then, of course, those same children could be put in the hands of pimps or traffickers. Children are being lured into these dire circumstances, quite frankly, by false promises. The administration has refused to be serious about Immigration Reform. Its got a policy of just get to the answer yes. And thats a philosophy that has sent
Reestablish our integrity. I think we can do that, and i think we can salvage a system which does provide good care, and we can make that system provide timely access. I am stunned that you would call this, with all the information thats come out, and i dont think were at the bottom of all this yet, that you would call this a good system. I think its absolutely stunning. And i think that the Veterans Administration is the most mismanaged agency of the federal government, and i think that it is not has not been there to serve those who have served this country, but the leadership of the va has been there to serve themselves, and weve had testimony from this committee about all the bonuses, all the bonuses, despite the incredible bureaucratic incompetence and cultural exception. Thats all you seem to be capable of doing is writing checks to yourself. Mr. Chairman, i yield back. Mr. Kirk ps. Kirkpatrick, yo recognized for five minutes. Thank you, mr. Chairman, and i want to thank you and