Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas deflected questioning Wednesday on Capitol Hill when he was asked about a Fox News Digital article stating that he has admitted to Border Patrol agents that the current rate of release for illegal immigrants apprehended at the U.S. border is "above 85%."
Rep. Michael Guest was grilling Mayorkas about the statistic during a House Appropriations Committee hearing on Homeland Security’s fiscal year 2025 budget request.
"It was reported in January of this year that at a meeting with Border Patrol agents that you said that the current rate of release for illegal immigrants apprehended at the southwest border is above 85%. One, did that conversation take place and two, is that number accurate?" the Republican from Mississippi asked Mayorkas.
"Congressman, I'm not familiar with that number and I'm not certain to which conversation you refer. I have visited the border so very many times," he responded. "Perhaps some additional details would guide me in responding your question accurately."
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Guest then read Mayorkas the opening paragraphs from the Fox News Digital report, which said he "made the remarks when meeting privately with agents in Eagle Pass, Texas, according to three Border Patrol sources who were in the room and heard the remarks themselves."
"Congressman, I'll be pleased to provide you with the data points, and certainly I don't view that article as a transcript," Mayorkas said.
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"So you're not disputing this article? You're not saying that that number is artificially high? You're just saying at this point that you don't have that number here to either admit or deny the 85% that it was alleged there in the article?" Guest then asked.
"I cannot confirm, and I will do so," Mayorkas said.
The exchange comes as Republican senators are gearing up to prevent all legislative business in the Senate from going forward if they don't get a full trial into the articles of impeachment against Mayorkas. The House voted to impeach Mayorkas in February.
Five sources told Fox News Digital that roughly a dozen GOP senators have been planning for more than a week to obstruct legislative proceedings and regular business in the Senate if, at a minimum, points of order are not agreed to in the impeachment trial of Mayorkas when the House impeachment managers deliver the articles to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
Fox News’ Julia Johnson contributed to this report.