Category: fox-news/us/immigration/border-security

Texas Sen. Cornyn tears into Mayorkas over fentanyl, border crisis: ‘You should be fired’

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Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, tore into Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday and said he should be fired over his handling of the ongoing crisis at the southern border and the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.

"My constituents are saying, who's accountable? Who's accountable? Who's paying a price? Who got fired? Well, you haven't been fired. You should be fired," Cornyn said at a Senate Judiciary hearing. "But you haven't been fired because you were carrying out the policies of the Biden administration. And we've seen nothing but death and destruction as a result."

The fiery remarks came as Cornyn quizzed Mayorkas on the flow of fentanyl into the U.S., as well as the ongoing crisis at the southern border -- which saw more than 2.4 million migrant encounters in the U.S. in FY 2022.

More than 70,000 Americans die each year due to fentanyl -- which is primarily produced in Mexico using Chinese precursors and smuggled in across the southern border.

GRAHAM SAYS ‘AMERICA IS UNDER ATTACK’ FROM MEXICAN DRUG CARTELS: ‘WE NEED TO BE AT WAR WITH THEM’ 

Mayorkas and Democrats have noted that the majority (about 90%) of fentanyl seizures occur at the ports of entry, and those arrested are typically U.S. citizens. 

But Republicans have pointed to the enormous number of gotaways who slip past Border Patrol agents between ports of entry and have noted that it is impossible to know how much fentanyl is being smuggled in.

This clash was seen earlier in the exchange when Cornyn asked Mayorkas about how cartels are attempting to overwhelm agents, so they can slip drugs past them. Mayorkas said he was not aware of that strategy and attempted to highlight the seizures at ports of entry.

"Approximately 90% of the fentanyl that is brought into…" Mayorkas said.

"That’s a totally made-up number," Cornyn replied, cutting him off. "You had nearly 1 million people get away from Border Patrol…between 2022 and 2023, you have no idea how many of those people were carrying fentanyl or other drugs with them do you?"

"Senator, The expert view I received is that approximately 90%…" Mayorkas said.

"That’s a totally made-up number, and you know it," Cornyn shot back.

Mayorkas repeated his claim that the majority of fentanyl is brought in via vehicles at the ports.

MEXICAN SEIZURE OF US COMPANY'S FACILITY MARKS LATEST DIPLOMATIC FUROR AMID TENSIONS OVER FENTANYL, CARTELS 

"The expert view I received is that approximately 90% of the fentanyl is brought in through the ports of entry through passenger vehicles, through trucks, through pedestrians," he said.

Cornyn went on to say that Mayorkas had a "credibility problem with the Congress and the American people."

"I have unflinching confidence in the integrity of my conduct," Mayorkas said.

Mayorkas was on the receiving end of a number of lines of tough questioning from Republicans, who grilled the secretary over his handling of the border crisis. It comes as a number of lawmakers in both the House and the Senate have called for his impeachment over the crisis. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called him "incompetent" and accused him of being "willing to allow children to be raped to follow political orders."

Mayorkas called the remarks "revolting" and a DHS spokesperson later followed up with a statement backing the secretary.

"Secretary Mayorkas is proud to advance the noble mission of this Department, support its extraordinary workforce, and serve the American people. The Department will continue to enforce our laws and secure our border, protect the nation from terrorism, improve our cybersecurity, all while building a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system. Instead of pointing fingers, Congress should work with the Department and pass legislation to fix our broken immigration system, which has not been updated in over 40 years," the spokesperson said.

Mayorkas slams ‘callous’ smugglers’ ‘profit’ motive for latest tragedy at the border

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Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday took aim at "callous" smugglers responsible for the deaths of two migrants in a rail car in Texas – accusing the smugglers of only caring about "making a profit."

"We are heartbroken to learn of yet another tragic incident of migrants taking the dangerous journey," the DHS chief said in a statement.

Uvalde Police Department said that approximately 15 people in need of medical attention had been found in the rail car, which had been stopped by Border Patrol two to three miles east of Knippa, Texas, after a 911 call warning of migrants suffocating. Two of those migrants died, five were air-lifted to San Antonio, and five were taken to nearby hospitals. 

Mayorkas praised Border Patrol agents and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents supporting the investigation.

"We will work with the Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office to hold those responsible," he said. "Smugglers are callous and only care about making a profit."

MIGRANT DEATHS ON TEXAS TRAIN MARK LATEST BORDER INCIDENT IN STRING OF RECENT TRAGEDIES: ‘HEARTBROKEN’ 

The tragedy comes after the death of eight migrants earlier this month on two smuggling vessels that capsized off the coast of Southern California and is one of a number of deadly incidents at or near the border in recent years.

In FY 2022, there were 856 migrant deaths, marking the highest on record and coming amid record numbers of migrant encounters at the southern border.

TEXAS AUTHORITIES SAY AT LEAST 2 MIGRANTS DEAD, OVER A DOZEN INJURED AFTER SUFFOCATING IN TRAIN CAR

The administration has repeatedly appealed to migrants not to make the treacherous journey north and not to put their lives into the hands of smugglers. Instead, they have called on migrants to take advantage of the legal asylum pathways the administration has either created or expanded – while also tackling "root causes" in Central America. 

However, while the administration believes it has turned the corner and has seen a decrease in illegal border crossings in January and February, crossings remain high, and Republicans have blamed the crisis on the Biden administration’s rolling back of Trump-era border protections.

Republicans in the House have zeroed in on Mayorkas, in particular, for his handling of the crisis. Some Republicans, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have floated a possible impeachment of the DHS chief, while others have introduced articles of impeachment against him.

Mayorkas has brushed off those calls but was recently dealt a blow when Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz told lawmakers that DHS does not have "operational control" of the southern border. Mayorkas had told lawmakers last year that DHS does have operational control of the border.

The hearing was held by the House Homeland Security Committee to "examine the direct link between President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas’ reckless border policies and the unprecedented crisis at our Southwest border" and was one of a number of hearings and visits being held at the border itself by Republicans, now that they control the chamber.

Fox News' Bill Melugin and Brie Stimson contributed to this report.
 

GOP leadership pushes back immigration, border bill markup amid infighting

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House Republican leadership is pushing for a delay to a planned markup next week of multiple immigration and border security bills as it deals with infighting between members – a move likely to upset immigration hawks keen to see action from the caucus on the historic migrant crisis at the southern border.

Punchbowl News reported Thursday that leadership has asked Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, to delay a planned consideration of as many as eight border and immigration bills next week before the April recess.

But sources told the outlet that leadership had delayed the markup until after the recess, meaning it will be more than four months since Republicans took control of the House before there is any consideration of legislation to tackle the ongoing migrant crisis at the southern border. A source familiar with the situation confirmed the Punchbowl News report to Fox News Digital.

BIDEN ADMIN SCALING BACK DETENTION OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, EVEN AMID MIGRANT SURGE 

Jordan told Punchbowl that "we have eight pieces of legislation that we think makes sense, and we’re going to get done as soon as we can, but we’re working with the whole conference."

Republicans have little wiggle room when it comes to defections as they have just a five-seat majority in the lower chamber. While there has been consensus on the broad strokes of how the caucus should tackle the migrant crisis, deep divisions have emerged between members.

Specifically, legislation introduced by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, which would allow DHS to block the entry of illegal migrants into the U.S. until there was "operational control" of the border, has seen internal Republican opposition from a small number of lawmakers.

Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, has been the most vocal opponent of the bill, calling it anti-American and claiming it bans asylum – a claim Roy has denied. Gonzales' opposition to the bill was one factor in the Texas Republican Party’s move to censure him this month.

But Republicans had campaigned on coming up with solutions to the border crisis and have already held a number of hearings at the border to draw attention to the crisis. Last year, Republicans unveiled a number of policy proposals to secure the border that they said they would advance if they took the House. Policies include finished the Trump-era border wall, expanding Title 42, modernizing technology and overhauling the asylum system.

DHS PUSHES BACK AGAINST MCCARTHY CALL FOR MAYORKAS TO RESIGN OR FACE POTENTIAL IMPEACHMENT

Since then, some Republicans – including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy – have floated the possibility of impeaching DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. That move has yet to happen, although two lawmakers have introduced articles of impeachment.

A coalition of hawkish groups, including the Heritage Foundation, Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), America First Policy Institute and Numbers USA, had written to GOP leaders in February urging the party to keep its promises – and warning that resources alone were not enough and that laws needed to be changed to end loopholes.

In a statement on Thursday, Heritage Action Executive Director Jessica Anderson said border security needs to be the "top priority" for the House.

BORDER HAWKS SAY FAILURE TO PASS BORDER SECURITY BILL WOULD BETRAY GOP ‘COMMITMENT TO AMERICA’ 

"House Republicans have been in power for several months," she wrote. "They must immediately develop and consider a border security package that ends the asylum fraud, creates an authority to immediately expel illegal aliens, sends resources to complete the border wall, and gives border agents the personnel and tools needed to carry out their proper duties, not the mass release of illegal aliens as directed by the Biden administration. Migrants must be disincentivized from making the dangerous journey to cross the border illegally, and must not be promised any possibility of amnesty."

Anderson noted the ongoing fentanyl crisis, which is primarily smuggled across the border, as well as cartel trafficking and an increase in the number of individuals encountered on the terror watch list. While she blamed the "Biden administration’s deliberate border destruction," she also urged action from Republicans.

"The time is now – American sovereignty has been severely damaged. Heritage Action urges House Republicans to follow through on their Commitment to America and move forward on consideration of a border security package," she said.

Meanwhile, Democrats and the Biden administration have been attacking Republicans for failing to agree to border security funding requests made by the Biden administration. President Joe Biden himself has called for Republicans in Congress to support additional funding to the ports as well as pathways to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants already in the U.S.

Fox News' Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.

Dem congressman ‘may vote to impeach’ Biden’s DHS Secretary Mayorkas

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California Democratic Rep. Juan Vargas said he "may vote to impeach" President Biden's Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas if Republicans bring articles of impeachment against him. 

Vargas, who made the comments during a news conference on Friday, said his reasoning differs from Republican lawmakers and lies in the construction of two 30-foot border walls.

"Secretary Mayorkas might come up for an impeachment vote because of what the Republicans have heard," Vargas said. "I may vote for it; I may vote to impeach him, but not over those other issues - over this issue."

Vargas' problem stems from President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas not stepping in to halt border wall construction at Friendship Park, which is located at the San Diego and Tijuana border, Fox 5 reported.

WHITE HOUSE BLASTS HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS BUDGET PLAN, CLAIMS IT WOULD HURT BORDER SECURITY AND CUT CBP STAFF

DHS began prepping for possible impeachment proceedings in late January by entering into a potential $1.5 million contract with the New York-based Debevoise & Plimpton law firm, which will disburse cash based on their work. Government records show that the award runs until early January 2025 and could reach up to $3 million, Fox News Digital reported.

David O'Neil, a Debevoise & Plimpton partner, will lead Mayorkas' defense team if needed, Law.com reported. O'Neil is no stranger to impeachment efforts as he aided House Democrats in their impeachment efforts against former President Trump. Employees at the firm also give overwhelmingly to Democratic causes, including Biden's past candidacy. 

Republicans on the House Oversight Committee are now probing the contract. Kentucky Republican Rep. James Comer, who heads up the Oversight Committee, began seeking information from Mayorkas late last month.

In a letter to Mayorkas, Comer said the contract is a no-bid, sole-source agreement, meaning it was awarded directly rather than through a competitive bidding process. Such an award is allowed only due to an "unusual or compelling urgency."

"DHS justified its decision not to use fair and open competition in procuring legal services by citing 'unusual and compelling urgency,'" Comer wrote to Mayorkas. "We are concerned the alleged "unusual and compelling urgency" justification is to avoid congressional scrutiny and oversight."

MEXICAN PRESIDENT THREATENS TO MEDDLE IN US ELECTIONS WITH ‘INFORMATION CAMPAIGN’ AGAINST REPUBLICANS

Republicans, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have raised the possibility of impeaching Mayorkas over his handling of the ongoing crisis at the southern border. Multiple members have also introduced articles of impeachment against him.

"The Biden Administration's self-inflicted border crisis has cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and the American people are demanding accountability," Comer previously told Fox News Digital regarding the contract. 

"Not only have the Biden Administration's policies exacerbated the border crisis, but it also appears the Administration is exploiting the situation to reward its political allies and cover up Secretary Mayorkas' disastrous decisions," Comer said.

Oversight Republicans grill Mayorkas on asylum remarks that ‘misrepresent’ DHS data

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FIRST ON FOX: Republicans on the House Oversight Committee are quizzing DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on remarks that they say misrepresents DHS data on the number of migrants who have passed "credible fear" screenings in the United States.

Chairman James Comer and Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., have written to DHS querying Mayorkas about remarks he made in an interview with CNN, in which he asserted an orderliness to the massive migration across the southern border seen under the Biden administration.

"The vast majority of those individuals have not sought to evade law enforcement, but have actually surrendered themselves to law enforcement and made a claim for relief under our laws," he said. "And so they make their claims, and the initial threshold for those claims under the law is lower than the ultimate asylum standard." 

However, the lawmakers cite data from DHS that shows only a fraction of migrants is given a credible fear screening -- in which they would claim to have a fear of persecution or torture if returned to their home country. 

HOMELAND REPUBLICANS TO TURN UP THE HEAT ON MAYORKAS AFTER BORDER CHIEF'S ‘EARTH-SHATTERING’ TESTIMONY

"According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data, more than 140,000 of the 172,116 Title 8 apprehensions made by U.S. Border Patrol agents in December 2022 resulted in an individual’s release into the country," the lawmakers write. "Yet according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), only 5,001 aliens were referred to that component for credible fear screenings that month. The numbers for other months similarly represent only a fraction of total releases." 

They say that due to conflicting data, it is "impossible to know the extent of DHS’ catch and release policies."

They also claim that the statements "misrepresent DHS’s own data and perpetuates an incorrect narrative about how the Administration processes illegal border crossers for release into the United States."

"But it is clear, that instead of referring illegal aliens to USCIS for a credible fear screening, your policy in most circumstances is to simply release illegal aliens into the country," they say.

Migrants encountered at the border who have not been returned under the Title 42 public health order -- which is due to end in May -- will typically be processed and provisionally released as they continue with their immigration removal proceedings. Migrants will typically be given a Notice to Appear at an immigration court or be paroled into the U.S. while enrolled in Alternatives to Detention and told to check in at an ICE office.

BORDER PATROL CHIEF SAYS DHS DOESN'T HAVE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF US BORDER

The lawmakers are seeking documents and communications related to the number of illegal migrants encountered at the border and processed into the U.S. in various manners, as well as the number referred to a credible fear screening.

MIGRANT ENCOUNTERS IN FEBRUARY DOWN TO LOWEST LEVEL SINCE JAN 2022; BIDEN ADMIN CREDITS NEW BORDER MEASURES

A spokesperson for DHS told Fox News that it responds to congressional correspondence directly via official channels "and the Department will continue to respond appropriately to Congressional oversight."

The inquiry comes as Republicans have been scrutinizing the administration’s handling of the ongoing border crisis, with some Republicans having floated a possible impeachment of Mayorkas.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration is pushing forward with a rule that would automatically make migrants ineligible for asylum if they had crossed into the U.S. illegally and failed to claim asylum at a country through which they crossed.

The administration’s policies were dealt a blow earlier this month when a federal judge in Florida struck down the Biden administration’s use of parole to mass release migrants into the U.S. interior, finding the practice unlawful and accusing the administration of turning the border into a "meaningless line in the sand."

GOP bill would force Mayorkas to fly commercial until he comes up with a border plan

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A handful of House Republicans are looking to ban Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and his staff from flying on federal executive aircraft or private jets until he presents a plan to Congress for securing the southwestern U.S. border.

The "Mayorkas Must Fly Coach Until We Secure the Border Act" would require Mayorkas to fly on commercial airlines, and reflects the growing frustration with the Biden administration’s handling of the border crisis. A record 2.3 million migrant encounters were logged in fiscal year 2022, up from 1.7 million the year before.

A record-high 251,000 border encounters were seen in December, and while that number fell to about 150,000 in January, Republicans continue to argue that failing to control the border is putting migrant children at risk and allowing fentanyl and other dangerous drugs to enter the U.S. unchecked, along with millions of illegal immigrants.

OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE PROBES ‘NO-BID’ DHS CONTRACT TO LAW FIRM TO HANDLE MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT EFFORTS

"This bill simply recognizes what is already obvious to South Texans and millions of Americans: Secretary Mayorkas’ failure to secure the southern border has hurt the American people and resulted in a humanitarian crisis in communities like mine," said Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, the lead sponsor of the bill. "If he refuses to fulfill the most basic functions of his office, he should be stripped of the private flights he currently enjoys, courtesy of American taxpayers, until he does his job."

The legislation is a relatively minor punishment for Mayorkas compared to two other bills proposed by Republicans that would impeach him.

DHS TAPPED LEFT-LEANING FIRM FOR POTENTIAL MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT EFFORTS OVER SOUTHERN BORDER CRISIS

One of those bills, from Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, says Mayorkas has violated his constitutional oath by failing to maintain operational control over the border, as more than 5.5 million illegal immigrants have crossed into the U.S. under his watch. That resolution, which has 41 cosponsors, says Mayorkas terminated contracts for the remaining construction of the border wall started by President Trump and accuses him of lying to Congress by testifying last year that the U.S. government has operational control of the border.

A second impeachment resolution, from Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., makes similar arguments and notes that Mayorkas has violated the Immigration and Nationality Act by releasing illegal immigrants into the U.S. instead of removing them. "The Secretary of Homeland Security does not have the option of simply releasing those aliens into the interior of the United States," reads that resolution, which has 31 GOP cosponsors.

MAYORKAS MAINTAINS ‘BORDER IS SECURE’ DESPITE RECORD CROSSINGS; FBI SEES ‘SIGNIFICANT CRIMINAL THREATS’

Biggs is a cosponsor of De La Cruz’s bill banning Mayorkas from private jets, along with Reps. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., and Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Ga.

Despite widespread frustration with the Biden administration’s border policies, House Republicans have yet to schedule a vote on any bill aimed at pressuring Mayorkas into doing more to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into the U.S.

Jordan rips Dems for skipping Arizona border crisis hearing, blasts ‘reckless’ Biden policies

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House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan on Thursday took aim at Democrats for failing to attend an in-person hearing on the border crisis in Yuma, Arizona, as Republicans heard from witnesses about the devastating impact the crisis has had on their communities.

"It's a shame that not one Democrat member of Congress would join us on this trip, despite having weeks of advance notice," Rep. Jordan, R-Ohio, said in Yuma. "It's disappointing, but it's not surprising."

Republicans held the hearing in the besieged community with local officials and the CEO of a local hospital that had spent millions on migrant care as part of the GOP pledge to hold hearings at the border.

But when the hearing was announced last week, Democrats dismissed the move as a "stunt" and said they had not been consulted.

AT ARIZONA BORDER, JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HEARS FROM OFFICIALS ON MASSIVE MIGRANT SURGE 

"Instead of focusing on real solutions to a complicated problem, Judiciary Republicans will once again not hear from any federal government witnesses at their hearing, further cementing this hearing as a brazen act of political grandstanding," ranking member Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said in a statement. "As a result, Democrats, who have been to the border regularly the last few years, will not attend next week’s performative hearing."

Jordan denied that, saying they had been given weeks of notice. He also rejected the claim that the hearing is a "stunt."

"I would argue it's not a stunt. My guess is our witnesses wouldn't call it a stunt. What we've learned today from them, what we've seen last night on the border," he said.

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., told Fox News in Arizona that the decision not to attend was a "message of disrespect" to the American people.

HOUSE DEMS PLEDGE BOYCOTT OF HOUSE JUDICIARY BORDER CRISIS HEARING IN ARIZONA 

The Republicans viewed the unfinished border wall, of which construction mostly stopped during the Biden administration, and visited the Yuma Regional Medical Center. Officials there said they have delivered over $26 million in uncompensated care to migrants in a 12-month period — enough to support the salary and benefits of 212 bedside nurses.

"It is an unsustainable model to have a hospital like ours bear the entire burden of paying for migrant health care. No business or service can survive ongoing large-scale expense without any offsetting revenue," Dr. Robert Trenschel said.

Other witnesses included Yuma County Sheriff Leon Wilmot and Jonathan Lines, a county supervisor. Wilmot testified that Border Patrol apprehensions of illegal migrants in the area have gone up from 40 a day to over 1,000 a day in the space of two years, and that the county has had to shell out tens of thousands of dollars to lease Porta-Johns to stop migrants defecating in crops.

His county has spent $323,000 in FY 2022 on booking costs for illegal immigrants who have committed state crimes, including sexual exploitation of minors, narcotics charges, assaults, kidnapping, burglary and theft cases.

"Our southern border, against all public comfort statements out of Washington, D.C., is in the worst shape I have ever seen in my career," he said in written testimony. "When one looks at Public Safety, National Security, and Humanitarian, our southern border can only be described as the largest crime scene in the country."

The border saw over 1.7 million encounters in FY 2021 and more than 2.3 million in FY 2022. Numbers are on track to outpace those numbers in FY 2023, although the Biden administration has pointed to a sharp drop between December and January as proof that border measures announced at the beginning of the year — including a humanitarian parole program that allows 30,000 migrants in a month — are now working.

MCCARTHY IN ARIZONA SAYS ‘NO ONE BELIEVES’ BIDEN ADMIN'S CLAIM BORDER IS SECURE, CARTELS ARE IN CONTROL

The Biden administration has blamed Republicans for failing to fund border security and for not going along with an immigration reform bill the administration introduced on Biden's first day in office. The president reiterated those calls for immigration reform, including a pathway for citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants, during his State of the Union address.

Jordan on Thursday dismissed the proposal as a "massive amnesty package" and put the blame for the crisis on "reckless" policies by President Biden.

"On day one, day one, January 20th, 2021, Joe Biden said, ‘We're not going to build a wall anymore. We're not going to keep the Remain in Mexico policy, and we're not going to deport any illegal migrants who come in for an immigration violation,'" he said.

Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., repeated Republican accusations that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has not been enforcing the laws on the books — something for which some Republicans, including Biggs, have cited as grounds for impeachment.

"If this administration refuses to enforce existing laws, why would anyone trust it to enforce future laws?" he asked. "But this won't stop us from trying. That's why we're here today. But I'm afraid that this is going to get worse until the American people demand that these policies be reversed."

"History is screaming this warning at us — countries that cannot or will not enforce their borders simply aren't around very long," McClintock said.

Fox News' Bill Melugin contributed to this report.

Oversight Committee probes ‘no-bid’ DHS contract to law firm to handle Mayorkas impeachment efforts

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FIRST ON FOX: The House Oversight Committee is investigating a "no-bid" Department of Homeland Security contract of up to $3 million awarded to a private law firm to aid Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas with potential impeachment proceedings — with Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer warning that such contracts put taxpayer money at "severe risk of waste and abuse."

"The Biden Administration’s self-inflicted border crisis has cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and the American people are demanding accountability. Not only have the Biden Administration’s policies exacerbated the border crisis, but it also appears the Administration is exploiting the situation to reward its political allies and cover up Secretary Mayorkas’ disastrous decisions," Rep. Comer, R-Ky., said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Comer has written to Mayorkas calling for information about a potential $1.5 million contract with Debevoise & Plimpton on Jan. 26 that will disburse cash based on their work. Government records show that the award runs until early January 2025 and could reach up to $3 million.

In the letter, Comer says that the contract is a no-bid, sole source contract, meaning it was awarded directly rather than through a competitive bidding process. Such an award is allowed only if due to an "unusual or compelling urgency."

DHS TAPPED LEFT-LEANING FIRM FOR POTENTIAL MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT EFFORTS OVER SOUTHERN BORDER CRISIS

"DHS justified its decision not to use fair and open competition in procuring legal services by citing ‘unusual and compelling urgency,’" Comer wrote. "We are concerned the alleged "unusual and compelling urgency" justification is to avoid congressional scrutiny and oversight."

DHS tapped the New York-based law firm to "help ensure the department's vital mission is not interrupted by the unprecedented, unjustified and partisan impeachment efforts by some members of Congress, who have already taken steps to initiate proceedings," a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital earlier this month.

Republicans, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have raised the possibility of impeaching the secretary over his handling of the ongoing crisis at the southern border. Multiple members have also introduced articles of impeachment against him.

"DHS will continue prioritizing its work to protect our country from terrorism, respond to natural disasters, and secure our borders while responding appropriately to the over 90 Congressional committees and subcommittees that have oversight of DHS," the spokesperson continued.

Fox News Digital reported earlier this month that the firm’s employees give overwhelmingly to Democratic causes, including President Biden's past candidacy. During the 2022 election cycle, individuals at the firm donated $289,000 of their nearly $310,000 in political contributions — or 95 percent — to liberal campaigns and committees, according to data compiled by OpenSecrets. David O'Neil, a Debevoise & Plimpton partner, will lead Mayorkas' defense team if needed, Law.com reported. O'Neil previously aided House Democrats in their impeachment efforts against former President Donald Trump.

ICE SPENT $17M OF NO-BID CONTRACT TO HOUSE MIGRANTS IN HOTELS THAT WENT LARGELY UNUSED: DHS WATCHDOG 

Republicans on the committee have previously expressed concern about the Biden administration’s use of no-bid contracts. Last year, when in the minority, Comer wrote to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about an $87 million contract with a company to house migrants crossing the border.

The contract was particularly controversial as the company had ties to a Biden transition adviser. A DHS Office of Inspector General reviewed the contract and found that ICE was not justified in using a no-bid contract and that much of the space was left unused as the contract required ICE to pay for up to 1,239 beds no matter how many were used. ICE disagreed with that report.

In the statement to Fox Digital on Wednesday, Comer said the use of no-bid contracts was becoming a pattern for DHS.

"DHS has a clear pattern of awarding sole source, no-bid contracts worth millions of dollars and this habit is putting taxpayer funds at severe risk of waste and abuse. DHS leadership has failed to adequately justify the department’s decision to bypass normal contract competition and seems to be prioritizing political expedience," he said. 

"As Chairman, I made it my mission to protect taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse. Oversight Republicans fully expect DHS to provide the Committee all information related to these no-bid contracts."

The letter requests a copy of the contract, as well as documents and communications related to the contract and deliberations over the award of the contract — including legal analysis and any approval documents.

Impeaching Biden over border crisis is Republicans’ ‘only tool,’ Andrew McCarthy says

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National Review contributing editor Andrew McCarthy published an op-ed Saturday claiming "the only thing" that can establish comprehensive security at the southern border is a presidential impeachment.

McCarthy asserted that the legislature and courts are unable to address illegal immigration, necessitating Republicans to threaten removing President Biden from office. 

Republicans moving to impeach Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas are aiming "too low," he wrote in the piece.

MCCARTHY RULES OUT AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AFTER BIDEN CALLS AT STATE OF THE UNION

"You probably don’t want to hear this again, but at this stage, the only thing that might — might — turn the tide and establish a semblance of security at the southern border would be for House Republicans to impeach President Biden for first causing the border crisis and then, over the course of the next two years, willfully exacerbating it, not out of incompetence but because it’s what his radical base demands," the National Review Institute senior fellow wrote.

McCarthy claimed that the Supreme Court is "powerless" to correct the massive influx of illegal migrants crossing the southern border, leaving the problem to be dealt with by individual states.

MCCARTHY, IN ARIZONA, SAYS ‘NO-ONE BELIEVES’ BIDEN ADMIN'S CLAIM BORDER IS SECURE

"For over a century, judicial rulings and congressional Democrats have nullified their powers to uphold the rule of law against trespassers," McCarthy continued. "If the Court won’t help them, the states must rely on Biden, and it is Biden who has quite intentionally left the border defenseless, knowing full well that the states would be besieged."

MIGRANT ENCOUNTERS HIT 156,274 IN JANUARY AS BIDEN ADMIN CLAIMS NEW BORDER MEASURES ‘ARE WORKING’

Acknowledging that the Democrat-controlled Senate would be unlikely to allow an actual impeachment, McCarthy made the case that impeachment articles could bring greater attention to the border issue.

"That is the last thing to which Biden and Democrats want attention called," he asserted. "Border security is an 80–20 issue, favoring not so much Republicans (who are far from uniformly solid on upholding immigration law) as individual candidates and officials who demonstrate seriousness about it, most of whom happen to be Republicans."

McCarthy concluded the article asserting that articles of impeachment were "the only available tool" for Republicans to push the issue to its breaking point.

"Joe Biden is not honoring his oath, and with Congress in a stalemate and state sovereignty nullified, only he can solve the border crisis he’s created. It’s that simple: Either Republicans use the only tool available to them to force Biden’s hand, or they are aiders and abettors," he wrote. "There is no middle ground."

Biden demands gun reforms while brushing bipartisan calls for border security, both sides claim ‘common sense’

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

President Joe Biden has demanded Congress take action to enact "common sense" gun reforms after a shooting rampage in Mississippi Friday left six dead. The demand came as he is turning a "blind eye" to Republicans and others who are calling for "common sense" changes to secure the border, a Republican lawmaker claimed.

"We need—need—commonsense gun law reforms," Biden said in a statement on Friday, after suspected shooter Richard Crum, 52, is believed to have used a shotgun and two handguns to carry out a shooting rampage that spanned three different locations across Tate County, Mississippi.

The president added: "That includes requiring background checks on all gun sales, banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, fully closing the boyfriend loophole to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, requiring safe storage of guns, and eliminating immunity for gun manufacturers who knowingly put weapons of war on our streets."

Biden’s words came as Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-ND, has accused him of avoiding the southern border and failing to "acknowledge the catastrophe at the southern border and makes common sense reforms to stem the tide."

BIDEN RESPONDS AFTER SERIAL SHOOTING IN TATE COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI LEAVES 6 DEAD; SUSPECT IN CUSTODY

"For two solid years, President Biden has avoided the southern border, turned a blind eye to agents overwhelmed by the influx in illegal crossings, and glossed over the devastating impacts on our nation," Cramer said in a statement published Feb. 10. "The administration must act to address the urgent humanitarian and crime crises it created. These bills acknowledge the catastrophe at the southern border and makes common sense reforms to stem the tide."

Senator Katie Britt, R-AL, similarly suggested Biden was failing to act to secure the border.

"There is an unprecedented humanitarian and national security crisis at our southern border," Britt said. "This is a direct, avoidable result of the Biden Administration’s dangerously weak policies. Hardworking parents across our nation want their children to grow up in safe, strong communities so that they can reach their full potential and live their American Dream. This legislation would help secure that dream for families in every corner of our country."

Britt is leading two pieces of legislation aimed at securing the border: the "Keep Our Communities Safe Act," which calls for the end of the Obama-Biden catch-and-release policy, and a resolution acknowledging the state of the southern border constitutes a crisis.

More recently, Senator Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., who was elected as a Democrat, has also introduced bipartisan legislation to secure the border.

MCCARTHY, IN ARIZONA, SAYS 'NO ONE BELIEVES' BIDEN ADMIN'S CLAIM BORDER IS SECURE, CARTELS ARE IN CONTROL

Her bill would eliminate federal restrictions and grant the Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the authority to conduct maintenance projects at ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border.

"Arizona’s ports are our first line of defense to stop dangerous drugs and individuals from entering the United States, and a key driver of our local economy. Our legislation builds on the historic investments strengthening America's port infrastructure in my bipartisan infrastructure law by cutting red tape and allowing local CBP leadership to make repair decisions that work for their officers, without waiting for Washington," Sinema said on Feb. 15.

The legislation was co-introduced with Sen. James Lankford R-Okla., who described it as a "straightforward solution."

"During my visits to the southern border, it is evident that CBP needs to repair ports between the US and Mexico. Bureaucratic red tape has blocked CBP from making those simple fixes to increase border security and better manage trade. This bill is a straightforward solution that will ensure our CBP officers have the resources they need to keep the country secure," Lankford said.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Thursday visited Cochise County, Ariz., with Reps. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore., Jen Kiggans, R-Va., and Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis.

Cochise County is located in southeast Arizona, bordering New Mexico and Mexico.

The four Republicans are freshman members who flipped Democratic seats in the most recent midterm elections.

"The new majority in Congress, we’re gonna fight to fix this problem. No longer will the Democrats be able to ignore the issue and act like it’s not happening," McCarthy said Thursday. "We will have hearings on the border. It’s the responsibility of all members to attend. Those who come to testify will come from both sides of the aisle."

MIGRANT ENCOUNTERS HIT 156,274 IN JANUARY AS BIDEN ADMIN CLAIMS NEW BORDER MEASURES ‘ARE WORKING’

Mark Morgan, a former acting CBP commissioner in the Trump administration, told The Hill that addressing the crisis is "really common sense," according to FOX 4.

"It’s really common sense. It’s what leaders do. They go to the heart of the crisis, whether it’s a hurricane or tornado, a terrorist attack, it doesn’t matter," Morgan said.

He added: "When you physically see it up close and personal, it changes your understanding. It changes your perspective."

Biden's Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas claims the southern border is under "operational control." Republicans have called for his impeachment. 

McCarthy said Republicans in the House will continue to push legislation aimed at securing the border.

"We’ve got a lot of ideas inside Congress. It’s different than the Congress before," McCarthy said Thursday, according to WDAF.

The shooting in Mississippi ended Friday afternoon when officials ultimately found Crum at his home and apprehended him. He was charged with one count of murder but is expected to face additional charges.

BIDEN ADMIN ANNOUNCES $231M FOR GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION EFFORTS, INCLUDING RED FLAG LAWS

"Enough," Biden said after the incident. "We are 48 days into the year, and our nation has already suffered at least 73 mass shootings. Thoughts and prayers aren’t enough. Gun violence is an epidemic, and Congress must act now."

He continued, "Jill and I are mourning for the six killed in today’s violence in Tate County, Mississippi — as we have for far too many Americans. We grieve with their families and with Americans nationwide as gun violence claims yet more lives. We are also praying for the recovery of those injured in this horrendous attack and for survivors who will carry both grief and trauma with them for the rest of their lives."

The suspect’s motives are not known at this time.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.