The Biden administration\u2019s Department of Homeland Security\u00a0is violating U.S. immigration law, border security and immigration experts say. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe U.S. Constitution requires the administration to \u2018take care that the immigration and border security laws be faithfully executed.\u2019 It is clear to me, and to millions of Americans, that the Biden administration has failed to do so,\u201d Chad Wolf<\/a>, former acting homeland security secretary, testified Wednesday at a House subcommittee hearing. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIn all candor, the Biden administration is the first administration, of either political party, to deliberately take steps to diminish the security along our southern border,\u201d Wolf said, adding that in his opinion, \u201cnew leadership is needed\u201d at the Department of Homeland Security. \u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cIn all candor, the Biden administration is the first administration, of either political party, to deliberately take steps to diminish the security along our southern border.\u201d \u2013 @ChadFWolf<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/juQFIjSv64<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Virginia Allen (@Virginia_Allen5) June 7, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
During the hearing by the House Judiciary immigration subcommittee, Rep. Andy Biggs<\/a>, R-Ariz., questioned Wolf and two other witnesses on DHS\u2019 handling of America\u2019s borders and whether\u00a0 Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas<\/a>, appointed by President Joe Biden, had violated the law.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Directing his questions to Steven Bradbury, a distinguished fellow at The Heritage Foundation, Biggs asked in rapid-fire fashion whether Mayorkas had violated federal laws governing immigration and border security. (The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation.)\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Bradbury, at the direction of Secretary Mayorkas, DHS released and continues to release, tens of thousands of aliens every month into the U.S. through mass parole, and now categorical parole,\u201d Biggs said, before asking, \u201cIs this a violation of law?\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, it violates INA Section 212(d)(5)(a)<\/a>,\u201d Bradbury said, referring to the Immigration and Nationality Act. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSecretary Mayorkas is also mass-paroling aliens he himself characterizes as refugees or asylum-seekers without demonstrating that there are compelling reasons requiring that that particular alien may be admitted by parole rather than going through the USRAP [United States Refugee Admissions Program] process for refugee admissions. Is that a violation of law?\u201d Biggs asked Bradbury. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, it\u2019s a violation of Section 212(d)(5)(b)<\/a>,\u201d Bradbury replied. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Biggs continued, questioning Bradbury on Mayorkas\u2019 failure to vet illegal aliens being paroled into the U.S. and the Biden administration\u2019s use of the CBP One app<\/a> to \u201cfunnel these illegal migrants to the U.S. ports of entry along our southern border.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
With each question, Bradbury answered in the affirmative that Mayorkas had violated the law. \u00a0<\/p>\n
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Biggs then returned to question Wolf, asking whether Mayorkas \u201cis violating the law intentionally, willfully, or is it just some oversight on his part?\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I\u2019m going to have to guess,\u201d Wolf said. \u201cI think it\u2019s all of the above. I think they know exactly what they are doing [in DHS].\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
Biggs asked the same question of Joseph Edlow, former acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is part of DHS.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you believe that what he\u2019s doing is intentional [and] willful, or is it just, he\u2019s just an incompetent buffoon and can\u2019t learn his lessons?\u201d Biggs asked Edlow. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think he\u2019s incompetent, Congressman,\u201d Edlow answered. \u201cLooking at the memos, looking at the departmental actions, the regulatory actions\u2014this is all part and parcel of\u00a0an intentional action.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0Biggs agreed, adding that it is \u201clong past time\u201d for Mayorkas \u201cto be impeached.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n
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Biggs didn\u2019t ask any questions of the fourth witness, Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, policy director at the American Immigration Council, a nonprofit advocacy group formed in 1987 by immigration lawyers. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., dismissed Republicans\u2019 calls to impeach Mayorkas as \u201cridiculous\u201d during her opening statement. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou do not impeach a Cabinet secretary over policy disagreements,\u201d Jayapal said.\u00a0\u201cThe border is not, \u2018open.\u2019 No administration has ever had complete \u2018operational control\u2019 of the border, detained every asylum-seeker, or not used parole in some form.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mayorkas became DHS secretary about two weeks after\u00a0Biden was sworn in as president. Under his leadership, critics note, over 6 million illegal aliens have been encountered on America\u2019s borders<\/a>. Since fiscal year 2023 began in Oct. 1, a record 1.8 illegal aliens have been encountered. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
In April 2022, while testifying at a House hearing, Mayorkas was asked by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas: \u201cWill you testify under oath right now, do we have operational control [of the border], yes or no?\u201d \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, we do,\u201d Mayorkas responded. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The definition of operational control isn\u2019t\u00a0subjective.\u00a0The Secure Fence Act of 2006 defines operational control as \u201cprevention of all unlawful entries into the United States, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics, and other contraband.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
Biggs first introduced articles of impeachment against Mayorkas in August 2021, when he was chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. In February, Biggs filed new<\/a> articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, saying in a press release that Mayorkas \u201cis the chief architect of the migration and drug invasion at our southern border.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
Have an opinion about this article? To sound off, please email\u00a0<\/em>letters@DailySignal.com<\/em><\/a>\u00a0and we\u2019ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular \u201cWe Hear You\u201d feature. Remember to include the url or headline of the article plus your name and town and\/or state.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n