Republican lawmakers on the House Oversight and Reform Committee are demanding the panel conduct a hearing on what they say is a “crisis” at the southern border.
Their demand came in a Thursday letter to Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., who chairs the committee, according to The Washington Times. The push for a hearing is being led by Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the ranking Republican on the panel.
“This Committee must schedule a hearing to conduct oversight of the welfare of migrant children being held in these container facilities,” the lawmakers wrote. “The Committee should also examine the Biden Administration’s plan for reducing the overall numbers of unaccompanied children arriving illegally at the southern border, as well as its plans for handling the current surge.”
The demand came as Axios reported the U.S. is nearing maximum capacity in shelters for children crossing the border illegally.
Internal documents from the Department of Health and Human Services reveal the shelter system is now at 94% occupancy. And it is expected to hit maximum capacity later this month.
Documents show the Border Patrol referred an average of 321 children per day to HHS in the week ending March 1. Axios noted the weekly average stood at 203 in late January and early February.
Meanwhile, top Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee have also requested a hearing on the border problems, according to The Hill.
“Your silence on this issue in the last five weeks unfortunately suggests that you do not plan to hold the Biden administration to the same standard to which you held the Trump administration,” the lawmakers wrote to Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif, who leads the Judiciary subcommittee on immigration.
Source: Newmax
