During a recent appropriations hearing, House Republicans strongly criticized Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for what they perceive as a lax approach to immigration enforcement, particularly regarding the release of millions of illegal immigrants into the United States rather than detaining them pending immigration court proceedings.
Chair Mark Green, R-Tenn., confronted Mayorkas, highlighting the availability of thousands of empty detention beds despite claims of resource shortages.
Green pointed out the apparent contradiction between Mayorkas’ request for more resources and the administration’s decrease in the requested number of ICE detention beds in the budget proposal.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (Credits: Vanity Fair)
The Biden administration has faced scrutiny for not disclosing the exact number of migrants released into the U.S. since February 2021, with estimates exceeding 2 million.
While federal law mandates the detention of illegal aliens through court proceedings, the administration has reportedly been selective in whom it chooses to detain, opting to release many into the country, sometimes with electronic monitoring.
Responding to criticism, the Department of Homeland Security emphasized the historical context of immigration enforcement, stating that no administration has ever been able to detain every individual who crosses the border illegally due to resource limitations.
Chief Alejandro Mayorkas (Credits: NPR)
The department noted that Congress has not provided sufficient funding for detaining every illegal crosser, highlighting a longstanding issue with immigration enforcement. The appropriations hearing took place despite the House delivering two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas to the Senate.
House Republicans impeached Mayorkas in February over his handling of the border crisis, but the Democrat-controlled Senate is expected to prevent a trial from occurring. The impeachment underscores the contentious debate surrounding immigration policy and enforcement in the United States.
