Today we welcome chad wulf, the acting secretary of the department of Homeland Security, thank you for being with us this morning. Mister secretary the fyi 21 budget proposes 49. 7 billion, in neck discretionary funding. For the department of Homeland Security. While this is a cut of 750 million below the current year level, the budget also proposes transferring United States secret service to the treasury department. I want to be clear that absent any inactive law to affect such a transfer this subcommittee will continue to include funding, for the secret service and its bill when including funding for the secret service in the total the budget requests for fbi 21 is actually 1. 7 eight billion above the current year level there are some things the proposed budget which we will find strong bipartisan support, such as funding for the coast guard cutter there are also support support for proposals we should not expect to see funded in the house bill. Among those the expansion of detention detention which i believe are unnecessary. Particularly in light of hyperactive needs, which is to hire customs officers, to speed trade and travel at the ports of entry. Most are todays hearing will likely focus on Immigration Enforcement and Border Security, including serious cases of the abuse of authority by some the age s personnel and contractors. While the mistreatment of migrants is inexcusable i would be remiss, if i did not also recognize the dedication and commitment of the vast majority of women and men of the department of Homeland Security, who carry out the departments and help protect the American Public and our country from a wide range of threats. This includes rescuing and giving aid to americans following natural disasters, defending us again cyberattacks, if securing our airports, and investigating child exploitation. And trafficking. It subcommittee will continue to work with you to make sure they have the resources needed to carry out the departments many critical missions. Members of the subcommittee also have, the responsibility to make sure, the department and its personnel carry out its mission responsibly, lawfully efficiently and humanely. We have always endeavor, to work collaboratively with you and your predecessors, fix problems, where needed and we will continue to try and do so hopefully, with better cooperation from the department. Unfortunately that is getting harder and harder to do. Ive been a member of the subcommittee, since its creation shortly after, the 9 11 terrorist attacks. I cannot remember time when there was less consensus about immigration and Border Security, and from my point of view a systemic disregard for the rights of migrants, and detained population, and the asylum laws of this country. And it steele to shut down the flow of migrants coming to United States, across our southern border, the administration has implemented multiple new programs, to expedite the removal process. Each of which erodes the Due Process Rights of migrants to seek asylum, or other forms of relief from the dangers that they fear. At every turn, and response to the question of how to balance departments dual missions of Immigration Enforcement and protecting Asylum Seekers, the administration has aired excuse of lee and determinately on the side of enforcement and removal regardless of the circumstances. The socalled migrant protection protocol or mpp is a clear and heartbreaking example. Mpp has been implemented was only the most superficial effort, to ensure migrants return to mexico, will in fact be protected, have food, shelter, health care, security and the ability to return for their immigration hearings. Only the most superficial efforts, have been made to ensure migrants, have meaningful access to counsel, access which should at the very least, be equivalent do what they would have if they had not been placed in mpp. The devaluing, the rights of migrants, goes beyond even the design, of these new programs. Under mvp guidelines, vulnerable populations, are not supposed to be placed in the program. Yet there is a steady stream, a reports of pregnant women, individuals with Serious Health issues, or disability, including children and lgbt migrants, being placed into the program and in some cases, having to harm as a result. Mister secretary, i doubt that we will come to agreement, on whether this administrations immigration policies, strike the right balance. Changing these policies, fall under the jurisdiction of the authorizing committees. However it is squarely, within this committees jurisdiction to ensure that the administrations policies and the use of funds, to implement them. Do not run afoul of the treatment of migrants and Due Process Rights and asylum laws. Carrying out our oversight responsibilities, requires us to have access to the full range of information about how the programs we are funding, are being implemented. Unfortunately, the department and its agencies are not always forthcoming. With all the requested information. While appropriations liaison and budget officials from cbp ice and uscis, usually do their best to get us the information, we need to do our work. They are often not sufficiently empowered to do so. As a result we are often stonewalled in getting the requested information. Mister secretary as a of the department of Homeland Security you set the tone and establish the rules that will guide the department in meeting our goals and make sure they are protecting our american values. If we are to be successful in achieving these goals we need your support and your cooperation in performing our oversight function. And i truly hope that it will be forthcoming. Before i turn to acting secretary for a summary of his written statement, the checks which will be included in the hearing record, let me first recognize our distinguish Ranking Member mister slash man for any remarks hes wants to take to make. Thank you mister secretary on a personal note i, would like to thank you for the way that you have been so courteous, Successful Union staff have reached out to us on numerous occasions, and for stepping up to at a very difficult time in our countrys history to take on this Herculean Task so my personal note of task to you in yourself sir. I would like to thank you for meeting with us today at the department of Homeland Security s fiscal year 2021 budget request. This is again an awesome responsibility that you have undertaken. Im willing to work with you as we work as we move forward. As always theres a lot to absorb within the departments request, their lot of new initiatives, a lot of threats that we are trying to cover, i look forward to hearing for the individual components, in the hearings planned over the next two months. I think the chairwoman for putting together a schedule that will allow us to get into more specifics with each component and despite the fact that the chair and i agree on some issues and disagree on other issues we work very well together and there is a tremendous amount of respect and madam chair i totally thank you for that. Thank you for those currencies. Theres a lot of great work being done it is clear that the people the department are working hard every day to keep our country safe, and again ive had the opportunity to visit many dhs sites and offices with the chair and other members on both sides, and across this country to hear from your people on the dedication and commit commitment shown by the people of dhs on our country. Please pass along our thanks for the work theyre doing every day on the clock. Last year we saw an unprecedented crisis at our southwest quarter, im glad we can come to a Fourth Corner agreement, to provide humanitarian aid, i relieve some of the stress on customs and Border Protection, to help move the unaccompanied minors to hhs care. However the crisis is still ongoing, we are still seeing tens of thousands of migrants apprehended at the border every month, we are seeing operational challenges, and ice in uscis, as those components grapple with the overwhelming case loads, of migrants who are already in the country, but i am optimistic that we can to get Work Together to address these challenges, and i can continue to impart to our distinguished chair, but there are so many places where we can actually agree what our security technology, humanitarian aid, increases for Cybersecurity Research increase in investment in our great United States coast guard assets including trade travel investigations and enforcement even the request to continue construction on the border wall system is within our ballpark im going to continue to work with you and with the president to support his initiatives and his request for Border Security im help hopeful that together, both sides of the aisle, both sides of the capital we can continue to come to agreements and solutions. I look forward to your testimony today, and the departments proposed investments and initiatives, im has thankful to be here and to the chair i yield back. Thank you mister flash men and i would recognize the chairwoman. I think chairman chairwoman allergy, and Ranking Member for holding this hearing today thank you i hope you have a good long term in this position that has not been the case so far i want to thank all our witnesses for joining us the department of Homeland Securitys mission to secure our nation from pervasive threats its not an easy task in new york we know we have to ensure safety different parts of dhs must effectively coordinate and cooperate while simultaneously working within the federal state and local agencies thats why the state of affairs at the department of Homeland Security is so troubling as i told the last acting secretary who testified before our committee it seems like the car is driving off the cliff, and no one to take the wheel. Three short years the department of Homeland Security, has been through five secretaries. Your four predecessors, instituted inhumane policies of ripping children from their families, jailing decent people for non violent infractions. And ensuring the integrity of our borders, and enforcing immigration laws are difficult, and necessary jobs but this administration has taken it too far with a heartless obsession with Immigration Enforcement ive recently received calls from local officials in my district was heartbreaking news that our young people are being pulled over roughed up by ice in force meant officers for no apparent reason this creates a culture of fear, and works directly against the Community Policing work local Law Enforcement does on a daily basis. To build trust and keep us safe. In addition to the department deployed cbp personnel from the southern border, to augment isis interior enforcement operations. This action was meant to punish localities like the one i represent, that refused to participate in the cruel and unlawful Immigration EnforcementMission Initiatives it also came on the heels of another decision meant to target my constituents suspension of cbp trust and travel programs in new york which will affect more than 200,000 new yorkers by the end of the year. Turning to fiscal year 2021 the budget yet again calls for the unnecessary hiring of an additional 2844 isis Law Enforcement officers and for proposes an outrageous increase to 60,000 detention beds the administration appears to have learned nothing from as democrats will not fund unnecessary or his Campaign Promises of the president. Particular for an agency who lacks transparency and whose enforcement tactics are out of control. Request again this is the point, by focusing on a political agenda instead of security and security our homeland. The budget will cut 239 million, from the urban Area Security and the steve. Which assists high threat, high density urban areas, with the consequences of attacks would be most catastrophic. In 228 million, from the hate stone land security grant program. These cuts could have disastrous consequences, late last year my district had terrible semitic attack the cuts, you propose are a slap in the face to my constituents who live in constant fear that they wont have the security and funding needed given this sharp rise of such attacks. The committee remains eager to support the departments corps emission but we will not be a part of a political act that distracts from the real threats facing our homeland. I look forward to a productive discussion today thank you. Now i would like to recognize, the Ranking Member of the Committee Miss granger. Thank you madam chair moment, thank uber for coming before the subcommittee today, to presents the 2021 budget for Homeland Security, you assumed anonymous responsibility is acting secretary of the department, we recognize that, there are 240,000 men and women you are leaving, who work tirelessly to protect our nation. Often without the proper credit. In my home state of texas, we share the longest retro border of any state, and have an important relationship with our neighbors to the south. I appreciate your understanding of our unique situation, i know that you remain committed to securing our borders. Keeping our communities safe, ensuring the legal trade and travel, and survival to our cnn action. Just two days ago i was in gallon texas, with depositary secretary of defense, to see firsthand where our investments important security have produced results. It is my six trip to the border during this crisis. Hundreds of miles of improved border fencing have been built, or under construction. Partnership of the department of defense is aligned Border Patrol agents to get back to their mission of securing the border, and that is what they deserve. I was amazingly, aware of new technologies that are being developed where they can spot persons coming across our border in time to apprehend them, safely i would encourage all the Committee Members to travel to the border, and see some of these improvements, particularly Cooperation Among sections, and the technology being used. Unfortunately with, these improvements we continue to have a crisis on our hands and the facts are undeniable. In 2018 400,000 people, were apprehended at the border. Which is an unbelievable number. Of unauthorized border crossings. Last year that number more than doubled, and nearly 1 million, marking a 12 year high. Its claims for an asylum grow up, the Immigration Courts number grows, back would backlog of cases are now fiveyear years long. Less important issue we have is the high amount of Illegal Drugs being carried across our border, and the criminals who are bringing those drugs in, and also children. This is something we need to be very aware of and i remain hopeful of that our colleagues on the other side of the aisle will help us address these very real issues, i commend the president for using authority under his jurisdiction, to address these issues head on. Mr. Wolf, i think your proposed budget for fiscal year 2021, shows how the department can will take action, if given sufficient resources. As always i will continue to work with the administration, to find solutions for these challenges, i do want always to be aware, that the criminal action at the border, and criminals coming across, our border these are not people that are seeking asylum, these are people who are carrying drugs, and thank you madam chairman i yield back. Before we hear from the secretary, i would like to remind members that they will be called for questioning, based on the seniority of those president , when the hearing was called to order, alternating between minority and majority members. To ensure that everyone also has ability to ask questions, i would ask each member to try to stay within the allotted five minutes per round. Mister secretary please begin your statement. Chair woman alert, and distinguished members of the subcommittee, it is privilege to appear before you today, to discuss our mission to keep our nation safe. And present the budget for our department. Im prepared to address the threats of today and tomorrow, fiscal 21 budget, its not only a reflection of that priorities those priorities but how to achieve them. The disbands airline sea and domains. We stand watch for the nation 24 hours a day trainers extra days years they safety safeguard unc from terrorists, and others who seek us harm. Balancing security and freedom of movement with karen precision. As i often say Economic Security is all month security, and the department plays a Critical Role in this mission. The president s budget ensures that our workforce has the resources it needs to execute these critical responsibilities. This includes 49. 8 billion in that discretionary funding, and an additional 5. 1 billion the Disaster Relief fund to support response to and recovery from disasters in the homeland. Our Budget Priorities remain consistent with recent years, bid include securing have orders and forcing our laws, securin