Here Are The Four Republicans Who Voted Against Fining Merrick Garland
“Today’s vote on my inherent contempt resolution and the legislative appropriations bill did not pass due to some Republican absences.”
House Judiciary Committee investigates Biden's 'refugee' sponsorship program: 'Vulnerable to fraud and exploitation'
The House Judiciary Committee opened an investigation Thursday into a Biden administration program that allows United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to sponsor so-called refugees, according to a letter obtained by the Federalist.
The letter to the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration was authored by committee chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement chairman Tom McClintock (R-California).
'Undermine both national security and the integrity of the U.S. immigration system.'
The chairmen wrote, "The Committee on the Judiciary continues to conduct oversight of the Biden Administration's enforcement of federal immigration law. Despite allowing more than 7 million illegal aliens into the United States since January 2021, the Biden Administration continues to create avenues to fast track additional aliens into the country."
According to the committee, the administration's "Welcome Corps" program, announced by the State Department in 2023, had already received more than 15,000 private sponsorship applications as of May 1, 2024.
"Working in groups of at least five people, sponsors come together to help refugees transition to life in their new community, all along the way supported by tools and resources from the Welcome Corps as well as ongoing guidance from resettlement experts," the program's website explains.
Sponsors help "with things like finding and furnishing an apartment, getting a job, enrolling kids in school, and accessing community services."
"Your group can be matched with an individual/family or you can apply to sponsor someone you know," the website states.
The letter noted that the department had already admitted during a previous briefing that "such a massive resettlement program is vulnerable to fraud and exploitation," it read.
The program has reportedly warned American citizens and lawful permanent residents to "beware of scams and anyone who asks for or offers payment or services to complete an application."
The committee expressed concerns that the administration's program could be vulnerable to "potential abuses" that might "undermine both national security and the integrity of the U.S. immigration system."
The chairmen requested that the State Department provide the committee with additional information about Welcome Corps, including the total number of applications, the number of applications with indicators of fraudulent activity, and the number of applications that have been ruled as fraudulent.
In addition, the committee requested "all documents and communications" regarding how the department reviews applications for potential fraud and any investigation into fraudulent activity.
Center for Immigration Studies executive director Mark Krikorian recently posted on X warning that pro-Hamas students protesting against Israel could use the Welcome Corps program to bring Palestinians to the U.S.
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Exclusive: House Judiciary Committee Launches Investigation Into Biden’s Illegal Immigrant Operation ‘Welcome Corps’
The Judiciary Committee is opening an inquiry into the administration's handling of immigration law and the influx of illegal migrants who have entered the country during Biden's presidency, particularly via Welcome Corps.Republican lawmakers accuse Mayorkas of refusing to hand over files on illegal migrants suspected of serious crimes
Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee, led by Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), accused Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of refusing to hand over files on illegal migrants suspected of committing serious crimes, Fox News Digital reported Monday.
Jordan and subcommittee chairs Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) and Ben Cline (R-Va.) recently penned a letter to Mayorkas renewing requests for documents on more than a dozen migrants.
"The Committee previously wrote to [DHS] for various documents and information, including the production of alien files (A-files) and related immigration case information for several alleged criminal illegal aliens," the lawmakers wrote. "However, to date, DHS has failed to comply with the Committee's requests."
According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, A-Files document interactions migrants have with various government agencies, including USCIS, Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"They include all an individual's official immigration and naturalization records and are identified by a unique A-Number. A-Files are central to our agency's daily operations and play a key role in adjudicating immigration benefits and supporting enforcement actions," USCIS stated.
The lawmakers called the DHS' failure to turn over the files "unacceptable," noting that it blocks the subcommittee from "fulfilling its constitutional oversight obligations."
"The Committee may be forced to resort to compulsory process if these requests remain outstanding," lawmakers warned Mayorkas.
Some of the requests that have yet to be fulfilled date back to October, according to a copy of the letter obtained by Fox News Digital.
The letter, dated Thursday, demanded information on Venezuelan national Daniel Hernandez-Martinez, who reportedly "randomly attacked at least three strangers and two cops." Within the first two months of his arrival in New York City, he was arrested and released six times on 14 separate charges.
Lawmakers are also seeking files on Peru national Roberto Emilio Vasquez-Santamaria, who was accused of murder. Additionally, the subcommittee requested information about four of the illegal migrants accused of attacking New York City police officers outside a shelter near Times Square in February.
In March, lawmakers sought files on Diego Ibarra, the brother of the man accused of murdering Laken Riley. According to the letter, Ibarra has Tren de Aragua gang-affiliated tattoos and has had his own "run-ins with the law."
Jordan, McClintock, and Cline provided the DHS with a new deadline of April 25 to produce the files.
In a comment to the Fox News Digital, a DHS spokesperson stated that the subcommittee's requests are "incredibly time consuming."
"A-Files can be thousands of pages long and must typically be redacted for a wide range of information including Law Enforcement Sensitive information that could jeopardize ongoing investigations, private information about junior DHS employees, and attorney client information," the DHS said.
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Republicans Would Rather Remain Beautiful Losers Than Win
Just like abortion, health care, and spending, Republicans don’t want to actually deal with the border.Today's top stories
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