Hearing Wrap Up: Ongoing Surge of Unlawful Immigrants at the Southwest Border

Washington, D.C.  – The Immigration and Border Security Subcommittee today held a hearing titled, “Another Surge of Illegal Immigrants Along the Southwest Border: Is this the Obama Administration’s New Normal?” At the hearing, members examined and heard from various witnesses on the swell of unaccompanied alien minors and family units crossing the southwest border and the Administration’s lack of vetting of unaccompanied minor’s sponsors in the U.S. Recent statistics from the Border Patrol indicate a significant increase in the number of unaccompanied alien minors and family units illegally entering the United States.  During the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2016, the number of unaccompanied alien minors illegally entering soared to over 17,000 and family units increased to 21,000.  The number of apprehensions dropped in January 2016 but historically illegal immigration plummets during the winter months and then begins to rise as the weather gets warmer. Hearing Takeaways:

• Based on data and anecdotal evidence from the Border Patrol, the surge at the southwest border for Fiscal Year 2016 so far is on track to be worse than the record number of apprehensions in Fiscal Year 2014.
• Brandon Judd, the President of the National Border Patrol Council, testified that the Obama Administration has ordered Border Patrol agents to not even bother doing the paperwork to put many adult unlawful border crossers in removal proceedings before releasing them onto our streets.
• Jessica Vaughan, an expert with the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), told members that the facts show that the Obama Administration’s policies are fueling the border surge. Based on intelligence reports from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, what the migrants themselves tell journalists, and CIS’s own research, the vast majority of unaccompanied alien minors and family units are coming to the U.S. because they believe they are able to stay.
• She also testified that the border surge is taking a toll on the quality of life in certain communities absorbing these minors. Some unaccompanied alien minors have been arrested and jailed for violent crimes, including murder, attempted murder, assault, armed robbery, weapons charges, unprovoked assault on a deputy, and more.
• Brandon Judd testified that the best way to quell the border surge is to enforce the law.

Key Videos:Immigration and Border Security Subcommittee Chairman Trey Gowdy’s (R-S.C.) opening remarks: “These children’s lives are at risk during their journey to the United States, but it does not stop there. They also face dangerous situations upon arrival to the United States … the Administration failed to properly conduct background checks on all persons with whom minors are placed, resulting in children being placed in the hands of abusers and exploitive sponsors … In the words of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner, we could very well be seeing the new normal. This ‘new normal’ is not acceptable at any level.”House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte’s (R-Va.) opening remarks: “We saw a similar surge of mass illegal immigration by unaccompanied minors and adults from Central America in 2014. Tragically, many were killed, assaulted, kidnapped, and extorted during their journey by the criminal elements that operate with impunity south of our border. This surge will undoubtedly produce similar victims. Despite these tragic consequences of non-enforcement, there are no lessons learned by this Administration.”Immigration and Border Security Subcommittee Vice-Chairman Raul Labrador’s (R-Idaho) exchange with National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd:Labrador: “Based on your communication with Border Patrol agents along the southwest border, do you believe that we are at the beginning of a surge similar or worse than what we witnessed in 2014?”Judd: “We are actually seeing a lot more at this point than what we did in 2014.”