Dear Mr. Secretary.
I was deeply disturbed by images and videos from this past Sunday of asylum seekers being sprayed with tear gas by U.S. officials at the U.S. - Mexico border. I understand from press reports that the Mexican Foreign Ministry has presented the State Department with a diplomatic note calling for a full investigation into non-lethal weapons directed toward Mexican territory. I write today to request that you provide the House Committee on Foreign Affairs with both a full accounting of Sunday’s events and your response to the Mexican government’s request for a full investigation.
The House Committee on Foreign Affairs has oversight of U.S. foreign policy and the management of our relations with countries across the globe. The deployment of non-lethal weapons across an international border and the impact of such an event on our bilateral relationship fall under the jurisdiction of our Committee.
I look forward to hearing from the Department this week with a full accounting of Sunday’s events at the U.S. - Mexico border and the information which will be shared with the Mexican government.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
Eliot L. Engel
RANKING MEMBER
Committee on Foreign Affairs.
