Republicans, ahead of House takeover, seek to focus on Biden admin’s handling of border crisis

House Republicans, who are just weeks away from taking control of the House of Representatives, are already indicating that border security and illegal immigration will be high on their agenda when they take the floor in early next year

Republican gains in the last midterm elections have given the GOP control of the House, although the Senate will remain in Democratic hands. Within days of confirming control of the House, Republicans have already made it clear that the current border crisis will be a priority.

That was highlighted this week when GOP leader Kevin McCarthy led a delegation to the southern border and called on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to resign or face a possible impeachment inquiry. next year

“He cannot and must not remain in this position,” McCarthy said. “If Secretary Mayorkas does not resign, House Republicans will investigate every order, every action and every failure to determine whether we can open an impeachment inquiry.”

DHS REJECTS MCCARTHY’S ​​DEMAND FOR MAYORS TO RESIGN OR FACE POTENTIAL CHARGES

Migrants trying to cross into the US from Mexico are detained by US Customs and Border Protection at the border on August 20, 2022 in San Luis, Arizona.
(Nick Ut/Getty Images)

McCarthy said he had spoken with Reps. Jim Jordan and James Comer, the ranking Republicans on the Judiciary and Oversight Committees, respectively, and said they have his full support for investigating the “collapse” of the border.

“The American public deserves more, deserves better and expects more from their government. Enough is enough. We will do whatever it takes,” he said.

The United States has been plagued by a nearly two-year border crisis that led to more than 1.7 million migrant encounters in fiscal year 2021 and more than 2.3 million in fiscal year 2022. The October has indicated that this increase is likely to continue, as more than 230,000 affected the United States. border only in that month.

Separately, a federal judge recently ordered the government to stop using the Title 42 public health order, which has been used to deport most migrants at the border since March 2020. This has sparked fears of an even bigger surge and more chaos as more migrants are released into the US

Republicans have been hammering the Biden administration over its handling of the crisis, arguing that officials have fueled the crisis by rolling back Trump-era policies and scaling back domestic enforcement. The Biden administration has said the crisis is hemisphere-wide and has called on Congress to act to fix broken US immigration laws.

“Members of Congress can do better than point the finger at someone else; they should come to the table and work on solutions to our broken system and outdated laws that haven’t been revised in over 40 years,” he said. a DHS spokesman said Wednesday. .

MCCARTHY ASKS MAYORKAS TO RESIGN OR POSSIBLY FACE IMPOSED: ‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH’

Republicans in July unveiled a series of policy proposals to secure the border that they said they would advance if they took the House. The policies include ending the Trump-era border wall, expanding Title 42, modernizing technology and overhauling the asylum system.

“I think we’re going to be very aggressive, and I think the administration is going to have some choices to make,” John Katko, the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, told Fox in July. “Do they want to spin the wheels for two years and do nothing or do they want to work with the Republicans if the Republicans are in the majority and start doing some of the things that the Republicans want?“

HOUSE GOP NOTICE TO MAYORS, DHS: GIVE ‘NO COOPERATION’ OR BE FORCED TO TESTIFY

In addition to his suggestion that several House committees will be firing on all cylinders to investigate the crisis, McCarthy also said he intends to hold hearings physically at the border, so Democrats can witness the crisis firsthand.

Separately, Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jim Jordan drew battle lines with the administration this week, sending a letter with other lawmakers asking for “unfettered cooperation” from Mayorkas and other DHS officials to testify before the committee. next year

Republicans called on DHS to prepare those officials to appear in person at committee hearings or provide transcribed interviews, threatening to “resort to due process” if the department and its sub-agencies do not comply.

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Also this week, Jordan, along with Senate Judiciary Ranking Member Chuck Grassley, submitted a request for documents and information about a Venezuelan parole program they believe violates federal law.

Meanwhile, McCarthy is likely to face continued pressure from the right in his caucus on the matter if he does not keep up the pressure on the administration on the issue of border security. Rep. Andy Biggs, who co-chairs the border security caucus, expressed his displeasure with McCarthy’s announcement.

“Mayorkas needs to be impeached. Period. No question,” he said.

Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo and Bill Melugin contributed to this report.