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WASHINGTON – A new Congress kicks off their investigations into President Joe Biden‘s administration. First up on the list? The president’s policies on immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border.
The House Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing Wednesday and putting Biden’s border policies, as well as the flow of fentanyl into the United States under a microscope.
The hearing, entitled “Biden’s Border Crisis – Part One,” is the beginning of planned hearings and investigations into the border, as House Republicans prepare to haul Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas up to Capitol Hill.
Biden has long faced criticisms from both Republicans and Democrats on his handling of immigration and border security.
The latest on the hearing on Biden’s border policies
- Who’s talking?: Three panelists will be part of the hearing: Dale Lynn Carruthers, County Judge of Terrell County, Texas, Mark Dannels, Sheriff of Cochise County, Arizona, and Brandon Dunn, co-founder of Forever 15 Project, an organization focused on spreading awareness about fentanyl.
- Biden border detractors: Carruthers, a Republican whose county is along the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as Dannels, have been critical over the Biden administration’s immigration policies, saying that the president has not done enough to address the increase of migrants coming to the U.S.-Mexico border.
- More immigration investigations: Since Republicans have control of the House, GOP leaders have said they will continue to investigate Biden’s policies on the immigration and border security. Some GOP lawmakers have said the plan to investigate and try to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
- When’s the next hearing?: The Judiciary Committee has not said when a second hearing on the border will happen. However, the House Oversight Committee has said they will hold a hearing on the border on the week of Feb. 6., following the president’s State of the Union address.
Where Biden’s immigration policies stand now
In an effort to address the rising number of migrants coming to the U.S.-Mexico border, Biden announced in early January new policies that would create a pathway to admit up to 30,000 from Venezuela, Nicaragua, Haiti and Cuba each month who have a sponsor and pass background checks.
But the new policy will also expel more migrants as Mexico has agreed to accept up to 30,000 migrants a month from each of the countries.
A controversial public health order, Title 42, is also still in place.
Title 42 allows the administration to rapidly expel migrants and, in some cases, suspend the right to seek asylum under U.S. law and international treaty. The policy, which was invoked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under the Trump administration, was put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19 by migrants in holding facilities.
The Biden administration was blocked by the Supreme Court in December from lifting the order. The Supreme Court will rule on the order later this year.
Immigration was also a key topic during the president’s visit to Mexico in January, where he met with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The two leaders focused on what can be done to mitigate migration and crack down on fentanyl flowing into the United States.
Takeaways
Biden is currently being hit on all sides for his administration’s immigration policies. Republicans think they administration is too lenient and are calling for more border security. Meanwhile, some Democrats are saying the policies are too harsh and want to see the administration focus on allowing migrants to seek asylum.
On top of that, the administration is facing a fentanyl crisis. Fentanyl has become the leading cause of death for Americans under 45.
The two issues will be front and center with the new Congress.
Biden tried to get in front of some of the complaints lawmakers have had with the president, including his lack of visits to the U.S.-Mexico border.
In early January, Biden traveled to the border in El Paso, Texas for the first time as president to assess the increase of migrants coming to the United States’ southern border. As he visited the city where many migrants were sleeping on the streets, he met with officials who urged for help and additional resources to address the surge of migrants.
What they’re saying
- In a tweet Tuesday, the GOP House Judiciary Committee account said Wednesday’s hearing begins the “investigation into the catastrophic effects it’s had on our border communities.”
- “This is just the beginning,” the account said.
- Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, a member of the House Oversight Committee, in a call with immigration advocates said that some Republicans on the committee have embraced conspiracy theories on immigration and that Democrats are “ready to go toe-to-toe.”
- “We’re ready to get to work fixing the humanitarian crisis, allowing folks to immigrate to our country in a humane, safe, orderly, and legal manner,” Casar said.
Reach Rebecca Morin at Twitter @RebeccaMorin_
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