On January 17, during an oversight hearing, Chairman James Comer (R-KY) asserted that the Biden Administration is actively undermining immigration law through policies that permit illegal immigrants to be released into the US interior shortly after apprehension. Comer serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
Chairman Comer expressed his concerns about the current administration's immigration policies. He stated, "Under the Biden Administration, most illegal aliens are released within hours or days of their apprehension." According to his opening statement at the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, interviews with border patrol agents have provided firsthand knowledge of the situation at the southern border. Agents from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported record illegal border crossings, migrant deaths, narcotics seizures, and arrests of suspected terrorists. Comer criticized the Biden administration for what he termed a "border crisis" and attributed this "catastrophe" to its policies.
Comer contended that increased funding would not resolve the border issue; instead, he identified it as a policy problem. He stated, "It’s a problem of not enforcing U.S. immigration law. No amount of money can fix bad policy." He further argued that a "blank check" from the Biden administration would only encourage more illegal immigrants to enter the country without proper processing or halt the influx of illegal entries. Comer claimed that three years of Biden's policies have culminated in today's border crisis.
As per records from the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Comer voted in favor of H.R. 2 - Secure the Border Act which was passed by the House in May 2023.
The Congressional Budget Office provided a non-partisan analysis for Congress on this act. The Secure the Border Act aims to limit Department of Homeland Security's parole provision, modify asylum procedures for unaccompanied children, mandate negotiations with foreign countries on asylum agreements and require reconstruction of southwestern border wall. It also calls for the hiring of more CBP agents, increased surveillance and updated technology.
NBC News reported that Congressional leaders are nearing a consensus on a border bill. Senate Majority Leader Schumer and Speaker Johnson met with President Biden among others to reach an agreement. Johnson stated, "We must have change at the border — substantive policy change." While Johnson and other House Republicans are urging the Senate to consider H.R. 2 - Secure the Border Act, he emphasized that it does not necessarily have to be this specific legislation but should include some of its key points. Senate Majority Leader Schumer expressed his desire to discuss the border deal alongside an additional Ukraine aid package, hoping to pass both in one bill.
