In January, Republicans took control of the House. After the long battle for Speaker of the House was settled, the new majority wasted no time in holding multiple hearings on the current situation on the southern border. Unfortunately, the hearings held by the Judiciary and Oversight Committees have focused less on understanding and addressing the complex issues occurring at the border and less on pursuing partisan narratives. I left it.
At both hearings, the conversation about fentanyl smuggling predominated.Provided by House Democrats hard data and years of evidence The majority of fentanyl entering the country enter from the entranceoften smuggled US Citizen. In contrast, House Republicans claimed, without any evidence, that fentanyl was flowing across the border in backpacks.
Throughout the hearings, House Republicans argued that data on drug seizures was irrelevant whenever House Democrats appealed to focus on fentanyl where the drug was known to be entering the country. continued after the hearing, on the House Judiciary-Republican Twitter account smear the Washington Post report as a liar For fact-checking Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Arizona)’s claim about where most of the fentanyl came into the country.
Similarly, Republicans and Democrats in the House squabble over the purpose of the hearings, Democrats accuse the xenophobic narrative, and Republicans say the hearings are either complete incompetence or an intent to open borders for evil reasons. It argued that it was simply an oversight of a situation that some described as one of the tactical plans.
House Democrats used the opportunity to take a winning lap against House Republicans. continuous failure Rep. Chip Roy’s (R-Texas) bill that essentially ends the asylum system.Democrats underscored bipartisan opposition, repeating quotes from moderate Republican representatives who argued the bill was unacceptable. from religious leaders.
Two witnesses selected by the Republican majority testified before the House Judiciary Committee. First, Cochise County Sheriff Mark Danells, the so-called “Constitutional Sheriff,” testified about the increase in drug trafficking in his area of ​​southeastern Arizona. While Dunnells began his testimony by acknowledging that the situation in his area was relatively unique because of its geographical migration patterns, the House majority expressed mixed feelings about the situation taking place across the border. I returned to him repeatedly to test my theory.
Dunnells admitted that few immigrants arrived in his area seeking asylum. Unlike Yuma in western Arizona, Cochise County has not seen record levels of immigrant arrivals, and anxiety across the Border Patrol Tucson sector remains less than half the peak seen in 15-20 years. .
Next, Brandon Dunn, a father who lost his 15-year-old son to an accidental fentanyl overdose, shared a heartbreaking story about the impact his son’s death has had on his family and community. Throughout the hearing, members of both sides thanked him for his courageous testimony and offered to meet with him.
House Democrats called El Paso County Justice Ricardo A. Samaniego for acting like a county commissioner. During the hearing, Samaniego spoke about how the El Paso community has worked with the federal government to respond to rising immigration. He also emphasized that strong working relationships between the federal government and state and local governments will help reduce the disruption caused by the release of some immigrants at the border.
As someone who frequently works with law enforcement in the region, Judge Samaniego also brought the necessary field reality to the hearings. He confirmed that in El Paso, almost all fentanyl is smuggled through ports of entry. He also stressed that the border guards have repeatedly praised their cooperation and considered it an important part of border control, and denigrated the work of local NGOs in helping newly arrived migrants. He opposed Republican efforts to
The theme continued at a House Oversight Committee hearing on February 7, when two Border Patrol chiefs testified. Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Gloria Chavez testified alongside Tucson Sector Chief John Modlin. When questioned by Democrats, both chiefs went out of their way to support the assistance NGOs provide to Border Patrol to help migrants released at the border.
The House Oversight Committee hearing largely mirrored the first, with both sides again sparring over basic facts and the broader narrative. But perhaps the most obvious interaction was with freshman Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Florida). Asked Both chiefs are a simple question. Did the Biden administration actually order them to open their borders and stop immigration law enforcement? Both Border Patrol agents categorically denied the allegations.
These hearings demonstrated a new reality in Congress. The two countries have major disagreements about what is happening at the border and what the solution should be, but some members say that rather than work towards a permanent solution , sees much more value in weaponizing the situation. Sadly, as Congress is divided, this bodes badly for Congress’ ability to get anything done on immigration.
Filed Under: Border Policy, Congress
