[House Hearing, 118 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



                               MEMBER DAY

=======================================================================

                                HEARING

                               before the

                     COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                    ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

                             FIRST SESSION

                               __________


                            DECEMBER 6, 2023

                               __________


                           Serial No. 118-43

                               __________

       Printed for the use of the Committee on Homeland Security
                                     




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        Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov


                               __________


                 U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

56-733 PDF                WASHINGTON : 2024











                     COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY

                 Mark E. Green, MD, Tennessee, Chairman

Michael T. McCaul, Texas             Bennie G. Thompson, Mississippi, 
Clay Higgins, Louisiana                  Ranking Member
Michael Guest, Mississippi           Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas
Dan Bishop, North Carolina           Donald M. Payne, Jr., New Jersey
Carlos A. Gimenez, Florida           Eric Swalwell, California
August Pfluger, Texas                J. Luis Correa, California
Andrew R. Garbarino, New York        Troy A. Carter, Louisiana
Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia      Shri Thanedar, Michigan
Tony Gonzales, Texas                 Seth Magaziner, Rhode Island
Nick LaLota, New York                Glenn Ivey, Maryland
Mike Ezell, Mississippi              Daniel S. Goldman, New York
Anthony D'Esposito, New York         Robert Garcia, California
Laurel M. Lee, Florida               Delia C. Ramirez, Illinois
Morgan Luttrell, Texas               Robert Menendez, New Jersey
Dale W. Strong, Alabama              Yvette D. Clarke, New York
Josh Brecheen, Oklahoma              Dina Titus, Nevada
Elijah Crane, Arizona

                      Stephen Siao, Staff Director
                  Hope Goins, Minority Staff Director
                       Sean Corcoran, Chief Clerk











                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page

                               Statements

The Honorable Mark E. Green, a Representative in Congress From 
  the State of Tennessee, and Chairman, Committee on Homeland 
  Security.......................................................     1

                               Witnesses

Honorable Kevin Hern, A Representative in Congress From the State 
  of Oklahoma:
  Oral Statement.................................................     2
  Prepared Statement.............................................     3
Hon. Stephanie Bice, A Representative in Congress From the State 
  of Oklahoma:
  Oral Statement.................................................     4
  Prepared Statement.............................................     5
Hon. Gabe Vasquez, A Representative in Congress From the State of 
  New Mexico:
  Oral Statement.................................................     6
  Prepared Statement.............................................     7
Hon. Tim Burchett, A Representative in Congress From the State of 
  Tennessee:
  Oral Statement.................................................     8
  Prepared Statement.............................................    10
Hon. Juan Ciscomani, A Representative in Congress From the State 
  of Arizona:
  Oral Statement.................................................    10
  Prepared Statement.............................................    12
Hon. Andy Ogles, A Representative in Congress From the State of 
  Tennessee:
  Oral Statement.................................................    13
  Prepared Statement.............................................    14
Hon. Beth Van Duyne, A Representative in Congress From the State 
  of Texas:
  Oral Statement.................................................    16
  Prepared Statement.............................................    18
Hon. Young Kim, A Representative in Congress From the State of 
  California:
  Oral Statement.................................................    19
  Prepared Statement.............................................    20
Hon. Pat Fallon, A Representative in Congress From the State of 
  Texas:
  Oral Statement.................................................    21
  Prepared Statement.............................................    22
Hon. Byron Donalds, A Representative in Congress From the State 
  of Florida:
  Oral Statement.................................................    24
  Prepared Statement.............................................    26
Hon. James Moylan, A Representative in Congress From the 
  Territory of Guam:
  Oral Statement.................................................    27
  Prepared Statement.............................................    28









 
                              MEMBER DAY

                              ----------                              


                      Wednesday, December 6, 2023

             U.S. House of Representatives,
                    Committee on Homeland Security,
                                            Washington, DC.
    The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:13 a.m., in 
room 310, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Mark Green 
[Chairman of the committee] presiding.
    Present: Representatives Green, Higgins, and Thanedar.
    Chairman Green. The Committee on Homeland Security will 
come to order. Without objection, the Chair may declare the 
committee in recess at any point. Per House Resolution 5, each 
standing committee is required to hold a hearing at which it 
receives testimony from Members, delegates, and the resident 
commissioner on proposed legislation within its jurisdiction. 
Today, we are fulfilling that requirement and look forward to 
hearing from Members who wish to appear before the Committee on 
Homeland Security.
    I am very proud of the work this committee has accomplished 
this year. To date, we have held over 40 hearings, ranging from 
threats in the Middle East, to cyber work force challenges, to 
the crisis at the Southwest Border. We have also moved 
significant legislation through the committee and even through 
the House. I appreciate the hard work of Majority and Minority 
Members, as well as the staff from both the Majority and 
Minority, who have all worked to make this year an incredible 
success, and I look forward to having a productive 2024. With 
that I would like to yield to the Ranking Member? No.
    Other Members of the committee are reminded that opening 
statements may be submitted for the record. I am pleased to 
have several Members appear before the committee today. We will 
proceed with panels of three. Witnesses are asked to keep their 
statements to 5 minutes, and if committee Members have 
questions, we will adhere to the committee's 5-minute rule. I 
am pleased to welcome our first panel. From the great State of 
Oklahoma, we have Mr. Kevin Hern and Ms. Stephanie Bice. Mr. 
Hern, Congressman Hern, you are recognized.

STATEMENT OF HON. KEVIN HERN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM 
                     THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA

    Mr. Hern. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for the 
opportunity to speak in front of this committee today. I was 
the first Member of Congress to call for Secretary Mayorkas to 
resign in February 2022. In October of that same year, I 
escalated my demands and called for the impeachment of 
Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Secretary Mayorkas's tenure has 
been one willful destruction to the United States beyond the 
point of incompetence. On February 2, 2021, Secretary Mayorkas 
swore an oath to ``well and faithfully discharge the duties of 
the office of which I am about to enter.'' He has failed to 
uphold his oath, and he has failed to protect the American 
people.
    The United States is witnessing an invasion, and instead of 
fighting it, Secretary Mayorkas is using any means necessary, 
including violating the Immigration and Nationality Act to 
welcome it. Under Secretary Mayorkas, the United States has 
suffered record levels of illegal immigration, spikes in 
fentanyl trafficking and fentanyl-related deaths, and a ten-
fold increase in encounters with illegal aliens on terrorist 
screening databases. This has resulted in record cartel 
profits, countless criminal aliens being ferried into cities 
across the country, increased migrant deaths, and demoralized 
Border Patrol. If Biden is not going to do his Constitutional 
duty and make sure he has the right Cabinet members, then it 
falls upon Congress to do their job.
    Secretary Mayorkas has failed the American people. Keeping 
him in this role will continue to put Americans in danger. 
There is not enough time in the world to list all of Mayorkas' 
failures, but I can highlight a few that warrant immediate 
impeachment proceedings.
    Secretary Mayorkas has consistently ignored rules and laws 
enacted by Congress failing on his duty to faithfully execute 
the law. Some of these include using a mass parole policy which 
violates the Administrative Procedure Act to release record 
amounts of illegal aliens into the country. Abusing the parole 
system to release hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens into 
the country, violating the Immigration and Nationality Act's 
limit on humanitarian parole, refusing to reimplement Remain in 
Mexico after a Federal District Court decision ordered him to, 
restricting which migrants ICE officials are able to detain and 
deport, quietly changing the detention policy from a ``release 
only if there is a compelling reason'' to ``release unless 
there is a compelling reason not to,'' a change we only now 
know about because a Federal District Court in Florida caught 
it.
    In addition to ignoring orders from the legislative and 
judicial branches, Secretary Mayorkas repeatedly lies to 
Congress and the American people. He has testified to this 
committee under oath that the border is secure and that he has 
operational control of the Southwest Border. Absolutely no one 
believes that. Biden hasn't seen the real border crisis, but I 
have several times. Thanks to the leadership of Governor 
Abbott, cities across the Nation are getting a small taste of 
what our border communities have been going through these last 
3 years. Even the mayor of New York City has had to admit that 
there is a crisis at our Southern Border. If this is what 
security and operational control looks like to Secretary 
Mayorkas, then it is no wonder he hasn't fixed the Democrats' 
border disaster.
    While impeachment is an extraordinary measure, it is 
absolutely necessary when faced with a Cabinet Secretary who 
willfully acts in subversion of the confines of Congressional 
authority and the letter of the law. Mayorkas has shown 
deliberate negligence in his failure to enforce existing 
immigration laws. Negligence that can be traced all the way 
back to the White House because the Biden-Harris administration 
has no intention of securing our border.
    Mayorkas will face no consequences from his boss because 
these failures are intentional and at the specific request of 
the President and Vice President of the United States. Joe 
Biden and Kamala Harris will never fire Secretary Mayorkas 
because he is performing exactly as instructed. Therefore, 
impeachment is the only path forward to secure our border and 
protect our citizens.
    The House of Representatives should thoughtfully pursue 
impeachment proceedings against Secretary Mayorkas, as his 
actions meet the Constitutional standard of high crimes and 
misdemeanors. Again, I thank you, Chairman Green, for letting 
me come and speak in front of your committee today.
    [The statement of Hon. Hern follows:]
                      Statement of Hon. Kevin Hern
    Chairman Green, I thank you for the opportunity to speak in front 
of the committee today.
    I was the first Member of Congress to call for Sec. Mayorkas to 
resign in February 2022.
    In October of that same year, I escalated my demands and called for 
the impeachment of Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Secretary Mayorkas's 
tenure has been one of willful destruction to the United States, beyond 
the point of incompetence.
    On February 2, 2021, Secretary Mayaorkas swore an oath to ``well 
and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about 
to enter.'' He has failed to uphold his oath, and he has failed to 
protect the American people.
    The United States is witnessing an invasion, and, instead of 
fighting it, Secretary Mayorkas is using any means necessary, including 
violating the Immigration and Nationality Act, to welcome it.
    Under Secretary Mayorkas, the United States has suffered record 
levels of illegal immigration, spikes in fentanyl trafficking and 
fentanyl-related deaths, and tenfold increases in encounters with 
illegal aliens on Terrorist Screening Databases.
    This has resulted in record cartel profits, countless criminal 
aliens being ferried into cities across the country, increased migrant 
deaths, and a demoralized Border Patrol.
    If Biden is not going to do his Constitutional duty and make sure 
he has the right Cabinet members, then it falls upon the Congress to do 
their job. Set up the articles of impeachment. There is not enough time 
in the world to list all of the Mayorkas' failures, but I can highlight 
a few that warrant immediate impeachment proceedings.
    Secretary Mayorkas has consistently ignored rules and laws enacted 
by Congress, failing on his duty to faithfully execute the law.
    Some of these include:
   Using a ``mass parole'' policy, which violates the 
        Administrative Procedure Act, to release record amounts of 
        illegal aliens into the country.
   Abusing the parole system to release hundreds of thousands 
        of illegal aliens into the country, violating the Immigration 
        and Nationality Act's limits on humanitarian parole.
   Refusing to reimplement Remain in Mexico after a Federal 
        district court decision ordered him to.
   Restricting which migrants ICE officials are able to detain 
        and deport.
   Quietly changing the detention policy from ``release only if 
        there is a compelling reason'' to ``release unless there is a 
        compelling reason NOT to''--a change we only know about because 
        a Federal district court in Florida caught it.
    In addition to ignoring orders from the legislative and judicial 
branches, Secretary Mayorkas repeatedly lies to Congress and the 
American people. He has testified to this committee, under oath, that 
the ``border is secure'' and that he has ``operational control of the 
Southwest border''.
    If this is what security and operational control look like to Sec. 
Mayorkas, then it's no wonder he hasn't fixed the Democrats' border 
disaster. Secretary Mayorkas' behavior continues to threaten the 
integrity of the constitution and the rule of law.
    While impeachment is an extraordinary measure, it is absolutely 
necessary when faced with a Cabinet Secretary who willfully acts in 
subversion of the confines of Congressional authority and the letter of 
the law.
    The House of Representatives should thoughtfully pursue impeachment 
proceedings against Secretary Mayorkas as his actions meet the 
Constitutional standard of ``High Crimes and Misdemeanors.''

    Chairman Green. The gentleman yields.
    I now recognize the gentlelady from Oklahoma, Mrs. Bice, 
for 5 minutes of testimony.

STATEMENT OF HON. STEPHANIE BICE, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS 
                   FROM THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA

    Mrs. Bice. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member 
Thompson. I thank you for the opportunity to speak on this very 
important matter that is impacting every State in the country. 
Since President Biden took office and under the watch of 
Secretary Mayorkas, over 8.2 million illegal immigrants have 
crossed the Southern Border into the United States. This is 
almost the equivalent of the entire population of the State of 
Virginia, the 12th most populous State in the union, and is 
double the population of the State of Oklahoma. Of the 8.2 
million who have crossed the border, 1.7 are got-aways.
    These numbers alone speak for themselves that the United 
States does not have operational control of our border, 
allowing for drugs and criminals to pour into the country, 
including my home State. As this committee has pointed out, our 
country is facing a fentanyl epidemic, killing tens of 
thousands of Americans each year. In September, the Oklahoma 
City police apprehended a man who was transporting 2,100 pills 
laced with fentanyl in his car. It is important to highlight 
that just 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal. Back in 
August, my home State Governor Kevin Stitt said the fentanyl-
related deaths in Oklahoma have increased by nearly 500 percent 
over the past few years. According to the Oklahoma State 
Department of Health, fentanyl is the leading substance 
involved in drug overdoses in Oklahoma.
    Three major interstate highways intersect in my district, 
and two of my constituent counties, Oklahoma and Canadian, have 
been designated as high-intensity drug trafficking areas by the 
Office of National Drug Control Policy. In fact, Canadian 
County was just added this summer. While more funding could and 
should go to address this matter, the best way to alleviate the 
high rate of drug trafficking within the interior of the 
country is to reduce the supply of illicit drugs coming across 
our borders.
    In fiscal year 2023, nearly 27,000 pounds of fentanyl was 
seized at the U.S. Southern Border, nearly double what was 
seized the year before. The record seizures at the border 
indicate increased efforts by the cartels to traffic their 
product to the United States. One can only imagine how much 
fentanyl is making it across our porous border that is not 
being seized. Meanwhile, Secretary Mayorkas does nothing to 
address the issue, which is costing countless American lives.
    I have spoken with a number of law enforcement agencies in 
my State regarding the impact of Secretary Mayorkas's border 
policies in the 5th Congressional District. Sheriff Tommy 
Johnson of Oklahoma County recently shared with me that his 
deputies apprehended an illegal immigrant just last month who 
was acting as a mule for the cartels in the community. The mule 
was carrying $200,000 worth of cocaine marked by the cartel by 
the back wheel of his car. The individual had markings on the 
drugs that indicated he was with a notably violent foreign drug 
cartel. The mule had also an icon in his car of the Santa 
Muerte, which is used by the cartels to protect them from 
American law enforcement who they believe to be evil. The 
presence of such nefarious criminal organizations has grown 
under Secretary Mayorkas's watch. It is clear that the Biden 
administration's lack of border enforcement is not only 
emboldening the cartels, but not deterring them.
    In order to better protect Americans from this 
administration's reckless inaction at the Southern Border, I 
have introduced two pieces of legislation, Kate's Law and the 
Safe Border Act. I, alongside Senator Cruz, introduced Kate's 
Law to amend Federal law to impose a mandatory minimum sentence 
of 5 years for any person who has multiple convictions or a 
conviction for aggravated felony who enters the country 
illegally. This bill is named after Kate Steinle, a 32-year-old 
woman who was tragically shot and killed by an illegal alien 
who had several felony convictions and had been deported five 
times. I also introduced the Safe Border Act, which directs 
FEMA to establish a temporary program to assist those living in 
direct proximity to the Southern Border, to strengthen the 
physical security of the property they own, and to provide 
modest compensation for landowners who experience loss or 
damage.
    I am also appreciative of this committee's work to protect 
Americans by putting major portions of H.R. 2, which would 
implement common-sense, practical, and time-tested measures to 
secure our border. Mr. Chairman, it is the foremost duty of 
Government to protect its citizens against the harm to one's 
life, liberty, and property. When applying this standard to our 
Nation's borders, this administration is failing. Thank you for 
the time.
    Last, I would like to note in the 109th Congress, the U.S. 
Senate voted on the passage of H.R. 6061, the Secure Fence Act 
of 2006, a bill to establish operational control over the 
international land and maritime borders. Notable individual 
Senators voting yes included President Joe Biden, former 
President Barack Obama, and current leader of the Senate, Chuck 
Schumer. With that, I yield.
    [The statement of Hon. Bice follows:]
                    Statement of Hon. Stephanie Bice
    Chairman Green, Ranking Member Thompson, I thank you for this 
opportunity to speak today on this important matter that is impacting 
every State in the country. Since President Biden took office and under 
the guidance of Secretary Mayorkas, over 8.2 million illegal immigrants 
have crossed the Southern Border into the United States. This is almost 
the equivalent of the entire population of Virginia, the 12th most 
populous State in the union, and is double the population of Oklahoma. 
Of the 8.2 million people who have crossed the border, 1.7 million are 
got-aways. These numbers alone speak for themselves that the United 
States does not have operational control of the border, allowing for 
drugs and criminals to pour into our country, including my State.
    As this committee has pointed out, our country is facing a fentanyl 
epidemic killing tens of thousands of Americans each year. Back in 
August, my home State Governor Kevin Stitt said that fentanyl-related 
deaths in Oklahoma have increased by nearly 500 percent over the past 
few years. In September, Oklahoma City Police apprehended a man who was 
transporting 2,100 pills laced with Fentanyl in his car. According to 
the Oklahoma State Department of Health, fentanyl is among the leading 
substances involved in drug overdoses in the State. In fiscal year 2023 
nearly 27 thousand pounds of fentanyl was seized at the U.S. Southern 
Border, nearly double what was seized last the year before. One can 
only imagine how much fentanyl is making it across our porous border 
and not being seized. Meanwhile, Secretary Mayorkas does nothing to 
address this issue which is costing American lives.
    I have spoken with a number of law enforcement agencies in my State 
regarding the impact of Secretary Mayorkas's border policies in the 
Fifth Congressional District of Oklahoma. Sheriff Tommie Johnson of 
Oklahoma County recently shared with me that his deputies apprehended 
an illegal immigrant just last month who was acting as a mule for the 
cartels in our community. The mule was carrying $200,000 dollars worth 
of cocaine marked by the cartel by the back wheel well of his car. The 
individual had markings on the drugs that indicated he was with a 
notably violent foreign drug cartel. This icon is meant to protect the 
cartels from American law enforcement who they believe to be evil. The 
presence of such nefarious criminal organizations has grown under 
Secretary Mayorkas' watch. It's clear that the Biden administration's 
lack of border enforcement is only emboldening the cartels, not 
deterring them.
    In order to better protect Americans from the administration's 
reckless inaction at our Southern Border I have introduced two pieces 
of legislation: Kate's Law and the SAFE Border Act. I alongside Senator 
Cruz introduced Kate's Law to amend Federal law to impose a mandatory 
minimum sentence of 5 years for any person who has multiple 
convictions, or a conviction for an aggravated felony, who enters the 
country illegally. This bill is named after Kate Steinle, a 32-year-old 
woman tragically shot and killed by an illegal alien who had several 
felony convictions and had been deported from the United States 5 
times. I also introduced the SAFE Border Act which directs FEMA to 
establish a temporary program to assist those living in direct 
proximity of the Southern Border to strengthen the physical security of 
their property and to provide modest compensation for landowners who 
have experienced loss or damage to property caused by those illegally 
crossing the Southern Border.
    Mr. Chairman, it is the foremost duty of Government to protect its 
citizens against harm to one's life, liberty, and property and when 
applying this standard to our Nation's borders, this administration is 
failing. Thank you for the time and I look forward to any questions you 
may have for me.

    Chairman Green. The gentlelady yields. I now recognize the 
gentleman from New Mexico, Mr. Vasquez.

 STATEMENT OF HON. GABE VASQUEZ, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS 
                  FROM THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO

    Mr. Vasquez. Thank you, Chairman Green, for holding this 
hearing and for the opportunity to discuss one of my top policy 
priorities. I was born and raised in the borderlands, and I am 
extremely proud to represent New Mexico's 2nd Congressional 
District, which spans 180 miles of the border between Mexico 
and New Mexico. I am one of the few Members of Congress that 
has actually traveled across the border on horseback, on ATV, 
with Border Patrol, with CBP agents, hunting and backcountry 
camping all across the vast district in New Mexico.
    I have spent my life on both sides of the border, and I 
have served as the cochair of the Southwest Border Security 
Task Force, which has worked in partnership with local and 
Federal law enforcement. Something that we all, both Democrats 
and Republicans, have noted as a national crisis is the 
increasing presence of fentanyl. This crisis is felt nowhere 
more than in my community. In 2021 alone, over 100,000 people 
in the United States died due to drug overdoses, according to 
the National Institutes on Drug Abuse with a staggering two-
thirds of those deaths coming from synthetic opioids like 
fentanyl.
    Land ports of entry like Santa Teresa and Columbus in my 
district play integral roles in screening cargo and passenger 
traffic entering the United States. We have seen that a 
majority of the illicit drugs that are caught coming into this 
country are found by authorities at our ports of entry. 
However, it is estimated that we are only catching 5 to 10 
percent of those drugs.
    Congress must come together to deliver solutions. That is 
why I have introduced the bipartisan Joint Task Force to Combat 
Opioid Trafficking Act. This is a common-sense bipartisan bill 
that would empower State, local, Federal, and private-sector 
partners to come together to address illicit opioid smuggling. 
This is a bill that is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of 
Police. My bill would authorize DHS to create a task force 
charged with improving security at the border and new 
technologies to detect illicit narcotics and opioids.
    We simply cannot afford to not use all of the tools 
available to us as tens of thousands of Americans continue to 
die every year because of these deadly substances. Last year, 
Congress extended the authority for DHS to establish joint task 
forces, recognizing the important role that they play bringing 
together resources, intelligence, and operations across DHS, 
including the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But DHS has only used this 
authority to create one task force, and it is clear to me that 
the opioid crisis is worthy of dedicated resources and 
attention.
    By authorizing DHS to create this Joint Task Force on 
Opioid Trafficking, my bill will help officials partner with 
private-sector entities, when necessary, along with Federal, 
State, local, Tribal, and international authorities, to 
accomplish their mission. This joint task force will be able to 
improve DHS's ability to conduct investigations, oversee 
counter narcotic operations, and most importantly, reduce the 
amount of illegal drugs smuggled into the United States.
    It is important to mention that the House previously passed 
such a joint task force with strong bipartisan support, but 
unfortunately, the Senate failed to do their job, and it never 
became law. We must finish the job now in the face of this 
unprecedented crisis. As a representative for New Mexico's 2nd 
District, my top priority is ensuring the safety of my 
constituents, and I know that the same is true for you as well, 
Chairman Green. The time to act on this crisis is now. My 
legislation is a prime example of what a common-sense 
bipartisan solution looks like for an issue that is plaguing 
all of our districts.
    I am proud to say that Representative Ciscomani, who will 
speak before you today, is also an original sponsor of this 
legislation. I urge this committee to move this bill, which 
will make our communities safer. I welcome the support of the 
distinguished Members of this committee to hold a hearing and a 
mark-up for this bill as soon as possible. Thank you again for 
your time this morning, Chairman Green. I yield back the 
balance of my time.
    [The statement of Hon. Vasquez follows:]
                     Statement of Hon. Gabe Vasquez
    Thank you, Chairman Green and Ranking Member Thompson, for holding 
this hearing and for the opportunity to discuss one of my top policy 
priorities.
    I was born and raised in the borderlands, and I'm extremely proud 
to represent New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District, which spans 180 
miles of the border between Mexico and New Mexico.
    I have spent my life on both sides of the border and served as the 
co-chair of the Southwest Border Security Task Force, which worked in 
partnership with local and Federal law enforcement.
    Something that we all--both Democrats and Republicans--have noted 
as a national crisis is the increasing presence of Fentanyl, and this 
crisis is felt nowhere more than in my community.
    In 2021 alone, over 100,000 people in the United States died due to 
drug overdoses according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse--with 
a staggering two-thirds of those deaths coming from synthetic opioids, 
like Fentanyl.
    Land Ports of Entry, like Santa Teresa and Columbus in my district, 
play integral roles in screening cargo and passenger traffic entering 
the United States.
    We have seen that a majority of the illicit drugs that are caught 
coming into this country are found by authorities at our ports of 
entry. However, it's estimated that we're still only catching 5 to 10 
percent of those drugs.
    Congress must come together to deliver solutions. That is why I 
have introduced the bipartisan Joint Task Force to Combat Opioid 
Trafficking Act.
    This is a common-sense, bipartisan bill that will empower State, 
local, Federal, and private-sector partners to come together to address 
illicit opioid smuggling.
    My bill will authorize DHS to create a task force charged with 
improving security at the border to detect illicit narcotics and 
opioids.
    We simply cannot afford to not use all the tools available to us as 
tens of thousands of Americans continue to die every year because of 
these deadly substances.
    Last year, Congress extended the authority for DHS to establish 
joint task forces, recognizing the important role that they play 
bringing together resources, intelligence, and operations across DHS 
including the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and 
Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
    But DHS has only used this authority to create one task force--and 
it is clear to me that the opioid crisis is worthy of dedicated 
resources and attention.
    By authorizing DHS to create this Joint Task Force on opioid 
trafficking, my bill will help officials partner with private-sector 
entities when necessary, along with other Federal, State, local, 
Tribal, and international authorities to accomplish their mission.
    This Joint Task Force will be able to improve DHS's ability to 
conduct investigations, oversee counter-narcotic operations, and most 
importantly reduce the amount of illegal drugs smuggled into the United 
States.
    It's important to mention that the House previously passed such a 
Joint Task Force with strong bipartisan support, but unfortunately the 
Senate failed to do their job and it never became law.
    We must finish the job now in the face of this unprecedented 
crisis.
    As the Representative for New Mexico's 2nd District, my top 
priority is ensuring the safety of my constituents--and I know the same 
is true for you too, Chairman Green and Ranking Member Thompson.
    The time to act on this crisis is now, and my legislation is a 
prime example of what a common-sense, bipartisan solution looks like 
for an issue that is plaguing all of our districts.
    I urge this committee to move this bill which will make our 
communities safer, and I welcome the support of the distinguished 
Members of this committee to hold a hearing and mark-up for this bill 
as soon as possible.
    Thank you again for your time this morning Chairman Green and 
Ranking Member Thompson, and I yield back the balance of my time.

    Chairman Green. The gentleman yields. We will now load our 
next three witnesses. I have Mr. Burchett from Tennessee, Mr. 
Ciscomani from Arizona, and Mr. Ogles from Tennessee. The next 
tranche will be Ms. Van Duyne from Texas, Pat Fallon from 
Texas, and Young Kim from California. I now recognize my 
colleague from Tennessee, Mr. Tim Burchett, for 5 minutes of 
testimony.

 STATEMENT OF HON. TIM BURCHETT, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS 
                  FROM THE STATE OF TENNESSEE

    Mr. Burchett. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for the 
opportunity to be here. It is the first time before this 
committee. I will note that your selection of refreshments 
backstage is very lackluster. Note that, for the record.
    Chairman Green. We will put an order in for some crystals.
    Mr. Burchett. Thank you, brother. I appreciate that. You 
know my heart. But in all seriousness, Mr. Chairman, thank you 
for taking up this very important issue, as well as 
Representative Ogles and myself, all Tennesseans, we understand 
how this has hit Tennessee. Illegal immigration takes a huge 
toll on small towns and cities all over the country, and not 
just the ones on the Southern Border.
    When I was mayor of Knox County in Tennessee, I saw this 
first-hand. Law enforcement certainly feels the effects of 
illegal immigration. But it is not only the only industry that 
is impacted. There has been a cost on everyone in the 
community, like the folks in our education system. I remember I 
visited one grade school in Knoxville that had students from 20 
different language backgrounds, 20 different. Each of them was 
required to have someone in there to help them along. Lots of 
small communities struggle to get the funding for English as a 
second language, second language teachers to accommodate all 
these incredible language barriers. It is not the kids' fault 
and it is not the teachers' fault. It is the Government's 
fault. The Federal Government doesn't see the costs, but they 
are significant.
    Illegal immigration also takes a toll on our housing and 
public transportation system. Public services and funding are 
drained. Yet, no one sees this beyond the local level. We also 
cannot overlook the crime that comes with massive surges of 
illegal immigrants. In 2019, an illegal immigrant swerved 
into--illegal alien, excuse me--swerved into oncoming traffic 
and killed my constituent, Pierce Corcoran. His mom and daddy 
are dear friends of mine. Still to this day, this thing just 
haunts me. The illegal alien had been in the United States for 
14 years and had made no attempt to become a legal citizen.
    We are doing a major disservice to this country by not 
protecting our small communities from the increased risk of 
deadly crime that is posed by illegal immigration. There are 
two major things we need to do to address this problem. First 
thing we need to do is enhance our border security, obviously. 
They told President Trump he couldn't have $4 billion because 
it was going to break us, and we spend $4 billion just about on 
anything up here it seems.
    We cannot allow large groups to overwhelm the Southern 
Border and force their way in. We need to hire more Border 
Patrol agents not just to process illegal immigrants but to 
prevent them from entering. We need physical structures in 
place that are difficult--and we need structures in place that 
are also difficult to patrol. We need to be able to run 
background checks on everyone entering the United States to 
make sure they are coming in for the right reasons. We also 
need to deport those with criminal background so no more folks 
end up like my buddy's young son Pierce Corcoran, a 22-year-old 
who was killed by someone who shouldn't have been here in the 
first place.
    The second thing we need to do is to encourage private 
investment in the countries that these illegal immigrants are 
fleeing in the first place. Studies show an average salary of 
$7,000 would be enough for a person to stay and live in 
Guatemala. Why are we not encouraging investment in places like 
this if it could stem the tide of illegal immigrants? I have 
been told by members of their government that they don't have 
enough working age men to satisfy the needs of their factories 
there right now. Well, we need to take these steps to protect 
our border and demagnetize it so illegal immigrants don't want 
to come here in the first place.
    It is time we take some real action so Americans can stop 
paying the high price of this surging illegal immigration 
problem. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate your leadership 
on this and it is good to see a Tennessean in a Chairman's 
role. You are doing a great job. Thank you, brother.
    [The statement of Hon. Burchett follows:]
                     Statement of Hon. Tim Burchett
    Illegal immigration takes a massive toll on small towns and cities 
all over the country, and not just the ones on the Southern border. 
When I was mayor of Knox County in Tennessee, I saw this first-hand. 
Law enforcement certainly feels the effects of illegal immigration, but 
it's not the only industry that is impacted. It has a cost on everyone 
in the community, like the folks in our education system. One grade 
school in Knoxville had students from 20 different language 
backgrounds. Lots of small communities struggle to get the funding for 
English as a Second Language teachers to accommodate all these language 
barriers. The Federal Government doesn't see these costs, but they are 
significant.
    Illegal immigration also takes a toll on our housing and public 
transportation systems. Public services and funding are drained, yet no 
one sees this beyond the local level. We also cannot overlook the crime 
that comes with massive surges of illegal immigrants. In 2019, an 
illegal immigrant swerved into oncoming traffic and killed my 
constituent, Pierce Corcoran. The illegal immigrant had been in the 
United States for 14 years and made no attempt to become a legal 
citizen.
    We are doing a major disservice to this country by not protecting 
our small communities from the increased risk of deadly crime that is 
posed by illegal immigration. There are two major things we need to do 
to address this problem.
    The first thing we need to do is enhance our border security. We 
cannot allow large groups to overwhelm the Southern Border and force 
their way in. We need to hire more Border Patrol agents--not just to 
process illegal immigrants, but to prevent them from entering. And we 
need physical structures in places that are difficult to patrol. We 
need to be able to run background checks on everyone entering the 
United States to make sure they are coming in for the right reasons. We 
also need to deport those with criminal backgrounds so no more folks 
end up like Pierce Corcoran, a 22-year-old who was killed by someone 
who shouldn't have been here in the first place.
    The second thing we need to do is encourage private investment in 
the countries these illegal immigrants are fleeing in the first place. 
Studies show an average salary of about $7,000 would be enough for a 
person to stay and live in Guatemala. Why are we not encouraging 
investment in places like this if it could stem the tide of illegal 
immigrants?
    We need to take these steps to protect our border and demagnetize 
it so illegal immigrants don't want to come here in the first place. 
It's time we take some real action so Americans can stop paying the 
high price of this surging illegal immigration problem.

    Chairman Green. Thank you. I appreciate your kind words. We 
now recognize the gentleman from Arizona, Mr. Ciscomani for 5 
minutes of testimony.

STATEMENT OF HON. JUAN CISCOMANI, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS 
                   FROM THE STATE OF ARIZONA

    Mr. Ciscomani. Thank you, Chairman Green, and the Members 
of the House Homeland Security Committee for allowing me to 
come before you today and testify. I am proud to represent 
Arizona's 6th Congressional District which includes a portion 
of the Southwest Border and is 1 of only 6 Congressional 
districts in the country to share a border with Mexico. My 
district is part of the Border Patrol's Tucson sector, which is 
currently seeing an overwhelming number of migrants.
    This administration and Secretary Mayorkas, in particular, 
they are failing us. They are failing our local communities by 
shutting down the Lukeville port of entry, an essential transit 
point for countless individuals on both sides of the border for 
trade, tourism, and other reasons as well. They are failing our 
Border Patrol agents and CBP officers by neglecting to enforce 
the laws on the books and turning them into babysitters and 
processors. They are failing both Arizonans and Americans 
across the country by allowing mass migration with little to no 
consequences, and by not properly vetting the individuals they 
are dispersing throughout the country.
    Under this administration, every State is now a border 
State. Every State is being forced to deal with the 
consequences of a border that is becoming little more than a 
line on a map. Last Friday, I urged the Biden administration to 
deploy the Arizona National Guard in order to prevent 
situations like what we are seeing in the State right now, sir. 
In the Tucson sector alone, CBP has encountered over 2,800 
crossings in 1 day last week. We have seen well over 100,000 
migrants in less than 60 days, and we have led the entire 
border with apprehension numbers from the last 4 months.
    According to CBP, ``this is fueled by smugglers peddling 
disinformation to prey on vulnerable individuals and encourage 
migration.'' We have seen videos of migrants led by the 
cartels, cutting through the border wall and shuffled across. 
We are seeing thousands of migrants a day. This type of surge 
is no longer unprecedented. For communities in my district, it 
has become the norm, and our agents are overwhelmed, 
undermanned, and unsupported. This type of surge is no longer 
tolerable.
    Seventeen CBP personnel committed suicide in 2022, the 
highest total in 13 years. CBP reported another 8 suicides in 
2020 and 11 in 2021. Tragically, 3 Border Patrol agents took 
their lives within 3 weeks of each other in November 2022. We 
must be doing more to support our agents and officers.
    Moreover, our local communities become forced to bear the 
brunt of this problem, and the closure of Lukeville is a 
graphic illustration of this. This relatively small port is 
vital for the unincorporated community of Ajo, Arizona, and 
shutting it will impact ports, and it has been impacting ports 
in Nogales and San Luis, Arizona.
    This is a Federal problem and deserves a Federal solution. 
We need to enact serious policy changes, which have been seen 
to work in the past, such as MPP, asylum changes, holding 
migrants in Federal custody, repatriating migrants, and signing 
agreements with Central American countries in order to curb the 
flow. Secretary Mayorkas changed many of these policies, and he 
needs to be held accountable.
    One bipartisan policy change I am here to advocate for is 
my bill, H.R. 5590, the Border Enforcement, Security, and 
Trade, or BEST, Facilitation Act of 2023. This bill will 
support border law enforcement by providing additional 
personnel to scan cargo for illegal drugs and guns or human 
smuggling. This bill creates positions within CBP that are 
called image adjudicators, who will review and assess scans of 
cargo images and either recommend entry to the primary 
inspection CBP officer or refer for further inspection any 
cargo they suspect may have illegal or illicit items.
    About every 5 minutes, an American dies from a drug 
overdose or poisoning. CDC data also show fentanyl is the 
leading cause of drug-associated deaths across all age groups. 
Successfully inspecting cargo at our ports of entry helps stop 
dangerous drugs like fentanyl from coming into the United 
States and positions like an image adjudicator would allow our 
CBP officers to do their job of inspection, while others look 
at the images.
    Thank you again for allowing me to come before you today. I 
look forward to your questions and hope you can all join me in 
supporting this much-needed legislation. Thank you, sir. I 
yield back.
    [The statement of Hon. Ciscomani follows:]
                    Statement of Hon. Juan Ciscomani
                      Wednesday, December 6, 2023
    Thank you, Chairman Green and Members of the House Homeland 
Security Committee for allowing me to come before you and testify.
    I am proud to represent Arizona's Sixth Congressional District 
which includes a portion of our Southwest Border and is 1 of only 6 
Congressional districts in the country that share a border with Mexico. 
My district is a part of the Border Patrol's Tucson Sector, which is 
currently seeing an overwhelming number of migrants.
    This administration, and Secretary Mayorkas, in particular, is 
failing us.
    They are failing our local communities by shutting down the 
Lukeville Port of Entry, an essential transit point for countless 
individuals on both sides of the border and for trade, tourism, and 
other reasons.
    They are failing our Border Patrol agents and CBP officers by 
neglecting to enforce the laws on the books and turning them into 
babysitters and processors.
    They are failing both Arizonans and Americans across the country by 
allowing mass migration, with little to no consequences, and by not 
properly vetting the individuals they are dispersing throughout the 
country. Under this administration, every State is now border State. 
Every State is being forced to deal with the consequences of a border 
that is becoming little more than a line on a map.
    Last Friday, I urged the Biden administration to deploy the Arizona 
National Guard in order to prevent situations like we are seeing in the 
State right now.
    In the Tucson Sector alone:
   CBP has encountered over 2,800 crossings in 1 day last week,
   We have seen well over 100,000 migrants in less than 60 
        days,
   And we have led the entire border with apprehension numbers 
        for the last 4 months.
    According to CBP, this is ``fueled by smugglers peddling 
disinformation to prey on vulnerable individuals and encourage 
migration''.
    We have seen videos of migrants led by the cartels cutting through 
the border wall and shuffled across. We are seeing thousands of 
migrants a day.
    This type of surge is no longer unprecedented--for communities in 
my district, it has become the norm. Our agents are overwhelmed, 
undermanned, and unsupported.
    Seventeen CBP personnel committed suicide in 2022--the highest 
total in 13 years. CBP reported another 8 suicides in 2020 and 11 in 
2021. Tragically, 3 Border Patrol agents took their lives within 3 
weeks of each other in November 2022. We must be doing more to support 
our agents and officers.
    Moreover, our local communities become forced to bear the brunt of 
this problem and the closure of Lukeville is a graphic illustration of 
this. This relatively small port is vital for the unincorporated 
community of Ajo, Arizona, and shutting it will impact ports in Nogales 
and San Luis, Arizona.
    This is a Federal problem and deserves a Federal solution.
    We need to enact serious policy changes, which we have seen work in 
the past, such as MPP, asylum changes, holding migrants in Federal 
custody, repatriating migrants and signing agreements with Central 
American countries in order to curb the flow. Secretary Mayorkas 
changed many of these policies, and he needs to be held accountable.
    One bipartisan policy change I am here to advocate for is my bill, 
H.R. 5590, the Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade or ``BEST'' 
Facilitation Act of 2023.
    This bill will support border law enforcement by providing 
additional personnel to scan cargo for illegal drugs and guns or human 
smuggling. The bill creates positions within CBP that are called 
``image adjudicators'' who will review and assess scans of cargo images 
and either recommend entry to the primary inspection CBP officer or 
refer for further inspection any cargo they suspect may have illegal or 
illicit items.
    About every 5 minutes, an American dies from a drug overdose or 
poisoning. And CDC data also show fentanyl is the leading cause of 
drug-associated deaths across all age groups.
    Successfully inspecting cargo at our ports of entry helps stop 
dangerous drugs like fentanyl from coming into the United States and 
positions like an image adjudicator would allow our CBP officers to do 
their jobs of inspection, while others look at the images.
    Thank you again for allowing me to come before you today. I look 
forward to your questions and hope you can all join me in supporting 
this much-needed legislation.

    Chairman Green. The gentleman yields. I now recognize my 
colleague from Tennessee, Mr. Ogles, for 5 minutes of 
testimony.

STATEMENT OF HON. ANDY OGLES, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM 
                     THE STATE OF TENNESSEE

    Mr. Ogles. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member 
Thompson, and Members of the committee. For years, American 
people have witnessed record-breaking numbers of illegal alien 
apprehensions across the Southern Border, increased instances 
of human trafficking, and sexual assault, and the continued 
unfettered flow of opioids, including fentanyl, into our 
communities. Very few, if any, individuals working in the Biden 
administration have faced any meaningful sanction or punishment 
for their role in undermining the sovereignty of America. There 
were 341,000 apprehensions at the U.S. land borders in 
September, setting an all-time record, Mr. Chairman. Three 
hundred nine thousand apprehensions were calculated in October, 
marking the second-highest total. Between 16.8 million and 29 
million illegals currently reside in the United States today, 
and more foreign nationals are incentivized to similarly break 
our laws.
    Non-public data from the Department of Homeland Security 
indicates that the Department has released at least 2.15 
million illegal aliens into the United States between January 
2021 through March 2023. Over 99 percent of these illegal 
aliens, 99.7, have effectively been protected against removal. 
While this administration continues to subsidize lawbreakers, 
our fellow citizens are forced to bear the consequences.
    This administration's indifference to the very real 
suffering of the American people has continued and compounding 
effects. My constituents inform me daily of the impact of Joe 
Biden's open border agenda on their families and communities. 
An estimated 162,000 illegal aliens now live in my home State 
of Tennessee, as do their 56,000 U.S.-born children.
    Illegal aliens add about 50,000 students to local schools 
and cost taxpaying citizens of my State an average of $4,456 
per illegal alien. Education costs stand at approximately $571 
million. Costs related to police, legal, and corrections 
concerns absorb to an added $175.6 million. In total, in total, 
illegal aliens cost volunteer State taxpayers my home State, 
our home State, $97.3 million, almost $1 billion in 2023, Mr. 
Chairman.
    This is to say nothing of the heart-wrenching human cost of 
these policies. Overdose deaths in Tennessee have increased by 
200 percent over the last 5 years, driven in part by nearly 
doubling of fentanyl seizures at the Southern Border from 
fiscal year 2022 to fiscal year 2023. Fourteen thousand one 
hundred pounds, to be specific, versus 26,700 pounds, sir.
    In my own district, authorities were finally able to 
apprehend an illegal alien male charged with drugging and 
raping 10 boys from the ages of 9 to 17 earlier this year. Like 
my colleague from Knoxville, Tim Burchett, I also was county 
executive. I saw first-hand the crimes committed by illegals. I 
attended the deaths of children who overdosed because of 
fentanyl from our Southern Border. This has to stop.
    Even while Tennesseans are asked to carry out the financial 
and human cost of illegal immigration, the Biden administration 
continues to leave no stone unturned in undermining my State's 
ability to respond to the crisis. Just last week, the 
Department of Justice imposed a $700,000 fine on trucking 
companies in Chattanooga for thoroughly vetting noncitizens and 
ensuring that any noncitizens were in the United States 
illegally. Mr. Chairman, we have a company in our home State 
trying to follow the law, and they were punished.
    Mr. Chairman, I would encourage the committee to take up 
the impeachment of President Joe Biden to have the hearings, to 
get the facts, to hear the testimony, and to find out if this 
President compromised our country, if this President 
compromised the safety and the well-being of our citizens, and 
to find out if this President is guilty and should be 
impeached.
    Mr. Chairman, I thank you for your time. It is an honor to 
be here, and I yield back.
    [The statement of Hon. Ogles follows:]
                      Statement of Hon. Andy Ogles
                            December 6, 2023
    Chairman Green, Ranking Member Thompson, Members of the committee: 
We are entrusted with a solemn, necessary task--to work for the safety 
and security of the homeland. For years, the American people have 
witnessed record-breaking numbers of illegal alien apprehensions across 
our Southern Border, increased instances of human trafficking and 
sexual assault, and the continued, unfettered flow of opioids--
including fentanyl--into our communities.
    Very few, if any, individuals working in the Biden administration 
have faced any meaningful sanction or punishment for their role in the 
diminution of American sovereignty. Three hundred forty-one thousand 
apprehensions at U.S. land borders to the North and Southwest were made 
in September, setting an all-time record. Three hundred nine thousand 
apprehensions were calculated in October, marking the second-highest 
total. Between 16.8 million and 29 million illegals currently reside in 
the United States today, and the incentive for more foreign nationals 
to break our laws is becoming increasingly appealing.
    Nonpublic data from the Department of Homeland Security indicates 
that the Department has released at least 2.15 million illegal aliens 
into the United States between January 2021 through March 2023. Over 99 
percent of these illegal aliens--99.7 percent--have effectively been 
protected against removal. On top of these astounding numbers, this 
administration has willingly implemented its illegal categorical parole 
programs and released an additional 205,473 illegal aliens into the 
Interior.
    While Republicans have rightly excoriated this administration for 
its failure to faithfully execute existing laws and for the 
astronomical costs of unmitigated illegal immigration, criticism is no 
longer sufficient. The House Committee on Homeland Security released a 
49-page report last week highlighting the annual cost to care for and 
house known ``got-aways'' and illegal aliens: $451 billion a year. What 
the American people have witnessed from the Secretary of Homeland 
Security--and from this administration writ large--is nothing short 
than an appalling dereliction of duty.
    While this administration continues to subsidize lawbreakers, our 
fellow citizens are forced to bear the consequences. This 
administration's indifference to the very real suffering of the 
American people has continued and compounding effects--my constituents 
inform me daily of the impact of Joe Biden's open border agenda on 
their families and communities.
    An estimated 162,000 illegal aliens now live in my home State of 
Tennessee, as do their 56,000 U.S.-born children. Illegal aliens add 
about 50,000 students to local schools and cost taxpaying citizens of 
my State an average of $4,456 dollars per illegal alien. Education 
costs stand at approximately $571 million. Costs related to police, 
legal, and corrections concerns absorb an added $175.6 million. In 
total, illegal aliens cost Volunteer State taxpayers $971.3 million in 
2023.
    This is to say nothing of the heart-wrenching human costs of these 
policies. Overdose deaths in Tennessee have increased by 200 percent 
over the last 5 years, driven in part by a near-doubling of fentanyl 
seizures at the Southwest Border from fiscal year 2022 to fiscal year 
2023 (14,100 lbs. versus 26,700 lbs.). In my own District, authorities 
were finally able to apprehend an illegal alien male charged with the 
drugging and raping of 10 boys between the ages of 9 and 17 earlier 
this year.
    While Tennesseans are asked to carry the financial and human costs 
of illegal immigration, the Biden administration continues to leave no 
stone unturned in undermining Tennessee's rights as a sovereign State. 
Just last week, the Department of Justice imposed a $700,000 fine on 
trucking companies in Chattanooga for thoroughly vetting non-citizens 
and ensuring that any non-citizens were in the United States legally. 
When the DOJ handed down this fine, the Department's Civil Rights 
Division flatly stated that ``employers cannot discriminate against 
non-U.S. citizens by demanding specific or unnecessary documents from 
them to prove their permission to work.'' It would appear that the 
Biden administration would rather keep the sluggish labor force 
participation rate artificially low than have private companies do the 
hard and necessary work of ensuring work authorization for non-
citizens.
    Tennesseans and Americans alike are not the only ones impacted by 
Joe Biden's failed immigration policies, however. This impact also 
extends to those illegally attempting to enter our country.
    This administration's efforts to incentivize families to cross the 
deadly Darien Gap, only to have women and children sexually assaulted 
in so-called ``rape tents'', is a repugnant moral failure. Doctors 
Without Borders has indicated in their new report that they've treated 
nearly 400 victims of sexual assault. There are evil people taking 
advantage of this crisis--evil people who are literally waiting to 
kidnap, rob, and rape--and the ringleaders of this manufactured crisis 
are still at large.
    As such, I urge the committee to immediately recommend the 
impeachment of Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for high crimes and 
misdemeanors. I further encourage the committee to take up the 
impeachment of President Joe Biden for likewise compromising the 
welfare and security of Americans. Our constituents deserve 
representation from good faith public servants whose actions reflect an 
unwavering fidelity to the Constitution of the United States.
    Our fiduciary duty to the American taxpayer is an essential impetus 
for so much of the work we do. In that spirit, I further urge this 
committee to eliminate any funding for FEMA's Emergency Food and 
Shelter program, as well as any successor or affiliated programs, 
including the Shelter and Services program. This program, weaponized by 
the Biden administration to subsidize the costs of releasing illegals 
into the Interior, has already been used to provide $332 million ``to 
assist communities receiving noncitizens released from custody.''
    In the administration's proposed ``emergency supplemental'', DHS 
has also asked for $800 million--compared with $150 million from a year 
ago--``for communities to support migrants who have been released from 
DHS custody pending the outcome of their immigration proceedings.'' The 
specific price tag for the Shelter and Services program stood at $600 
million--$83.5 million of which is intended to subsidize the costs of 
nonprofits in their work to assist ``noncitizens.''
    Again, if this funding stream is going to be used to serve as a 
massive magnet for illegal immigration, it needs to be entirely 
dispensed with. President Biden's Southwest Border Contingency Fund is 
also expected to be continued to be utilized as a piggy bank for 
services for illegal aliens and should similarly undergo a severe 
rollback or elimination of funding. Given the existing significant 
backlog in asylum applications, if Republicans are unable to challenge 
the administration's plans to pay for the costs of hosting illegal 
aliens, we are effectively creating a long-term amnesty program.
    Finally, I wish to bring a broader matter to the attention of the 
committee. Under Chairman Green's leadership, this committee has worked 
tirelessly to highlight the egregious failures of this administration--
whether that's the breakdown of operational control at the border or 
the on-going opioid crisis. Accountability has been at the center of 
this committee's work, and I know I speak for my fellow Republicans in 
thanking the Chairman for his service to the American people.
    In alignment with already-existing efforts, I would urge the House 
Committee on Homeland Security to work toward a streamlined 
reauthorization of the Department of Homeland Security. The opportunity 
to pursue such a bill comes very rarely in this town, and crafting a 
Department reauthorization provides both the committee and the wider 
Congress with the opportunity to rollback or eliminate duplicative 
agencies, wayward institutions (including the Cybersecurity and 
Infrastructure Security Agency), and address any other instances of 
waste, fraud, and abuse. It also further codifies, in a more general 
sense, Congress' oversight duties and responsibilities.
    I again express my gratitude to the Chairman and to the Members of 
this committee for their leadership in hosting this Member Day. While 
working to secure our border and reassert American sovereignty, we have 
an opportunity here to promote responsible funding policies protecting 
and advancing our Nation's interests. I look forward to working with 
you in achieving these objectives.

    Chairman Green. The gentleman yields. We now have Members 
here. Do you have any questions, Mr. Higgins?
    Mr. Higgins. I have a comment, Mr. Chairman, if I may?
    Chairman Green. Certainly.
    Mr. Higgins. I thank the gentleman for appearing before us 
today. Regarding your final questions about our inaugurated 
President, I would say the answer is yes, yes, and yes.
    Mr. Ogles. Yes, sir.
    Mr. Higgins. And I concur.
    Chairman Green. The gentleman yields. That completes this 
panel. We will load our next set of panels. Our next group is 
Congresswoman Van Duyne from Texas, Congresswoman Young Kim 
from California, and Mr. Pat Fallon of Texas. I now recognize 
the gentlelady from Texas, Ms. Van Duyne.

STATEMENT OF HON. BETH VAN DUYNE, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS 
                    FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS

    Ms. Van Duyne. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I am here 
to draw attention to the on-going border security----
    Chairman Green. I think your mic, check to make sure you 
are on.
    Ms. Van Duyne. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I am here 
to draw attention to the on-going border security disaster 
caused by the deliberate acts of the Biden administration and 
by the worst, most dishonest leadership at the Department of 
Homeland Security in our history. Make no mistake, the absolute 
humanitarian and security catastrophe that we are facing was 
created on purpose. This is exactly what this administration 
and Democrats in Congress want to see inflicted on our Nation.
    The impact on my home State of Texas is profound. From the 
lives lost, property destroyed, taxpayer dollars spent, to not 
only try to handle the security our Federal Government has 
surrendered to Mexican cartels, but also on housing, schooling, 
and health care for the vast illegal immigrant population. So 
far, under the Biden administration, approximately 4 million 
illegal aliens have unlawfully crossed the Texas border, 1.9 
million in 2023 alone, representing nearly half of those 
apprehended across the country. Additionally, Texas has had 
about a half-a-million known got-aways detected by Border 
Patrol, representing nearly 60 percent of those apprehended 
Nation-wide.
    As you are aware, those got-aways are the most dangerous. 
These illegal aliens are most likely violent criminals, gang 
members, and potential members of terror cells now operating in 
our country. To stop the vast tsunami of human trafficking, 
drug trafficking, and invasion of our country, Texas has had to 
spend over $5 billion to support local law enforcement 
operations, to support and protect our people through Operation 
Lone Star, under which Texas has apprehended more than 400,000 
illegal immigrants, arrested more than 33,000 criminals, with 
more than 30,000 felony charges reported, and seized more than 
426 million lethal doses of fentanyl.
    Our State shouldn't have to be responsible for this kind of 
massive national security operation. But while we dig in and 
fight back, Democrat-run, virtue-signaling sanctuary cities 
protest because a few thousand illegal immigrants are brought 
to their doorsteps. Even though they asked for that when they 
declared themselves sanctuary cities in the first place.
    Texas is the front line of Biden's border disaster. Not 
only are Mexican cartels in control of the Southern Border, but 
they are supported by the Biden administration, which focuses 
the Border Patrol and ICE not on apprehending and deporting 
people, but on processing illegal immigrants as quickly as 
possible and then moving them across the country with taxpayer-
funded transportation. Put simply, Mayorkas's DHS operation has 
created transportation assistance for human trafficking in a 
massive new era of human slavery in America.
    Locally, in 2023 alone, the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office 
made 115 human trafficking-related arrests. It made outreach to 
the nearly hundred potential known and suspected victims they 
identified. In one case of human smuggling this year, 10 
victims were identified, and the operation was tied back to a 
Mexican cartel. The victims were so fearful of the traffickers 
that our sheriff's office could not determine whether they were 
not only forced into labor, but also brought into the country 
for sex trafficking. This is the cruel reality of the Biden 
administration's open border policies.
    Equally tragic, the vast amounts of drug-related smuggled 
into our State are destroying lives and families. More than 
1,100 north Texans have died from fentanyl poisoning since 
Biden took office. State-wide, drug-related deaths involving 
fentanyl skyrocketed by 33 percent since 2019, now accounting 
for almost half of all drug-related deaths, killing an average 
of 5 Texans per day. It is a lie to say that fentanyl only 
comes through the ports of entry. That is just what DHS is 
catching. Far more is flooding Texas and the rest of our 
country through unsecure Southern Border.
    Earlier this year, in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch School 
District, fentanyl was laced with pills and sold in middle and 
high schools, sometimes by dealers as young as 14 years old. 
Nine teenagers had overdosed and 3 of whom died. When 
investigators caught and charged the main drug dealer, he 
ultimately pled guilty to selling more than 100,000 fake pills 
laced with fentanyl. Young children with a lifetime in front of 
them are now cut down every day because this administration 
does not seem to care how high the body count goes, as long as 
they keep the border open.
    I have spoken to too many mothers in North Texas who have 
lost children to fentanyl. The grief and pain they bear is 
soul-crushing, especially since these deaths could have been 
prevented by simply enforcing the laws that we already had on 
the books before this administration put American lives at 
risk. I want to commend the efforts made by Chairman Green and 
this committee in investigating Mayorkas's dereliction of duty 
and role in perpetuating the crisis at our Southern Border. The 
investigations have shown decisively that Secretary Mayorkas 
has failed to execute the duties of his office. He has violated 
the trust of the American people by deceiving them and 
Congress. Worse, he has actively prevented the enforcement of 
our Nation's laws in the name of political expediency at the 
cost of American lives. I urge Chairman Green and my colleagues 
of the committee to continue in your efforts to hold Secretary 
Mayorkas accountable for impeachment from his office. I yield 
back.
    [The statement of Hon. Van Duyne follows:]
                    Statement of Hon. Beth Van Duyne
                            December 6, 2023
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm here to draw attention to the on-going 
border security disaster caused by the deliberate acts of the Biden 
administration and by the worst, most dishonest leadership at the 
Department of Homeland Security in our history. Make no mistake, the 
absolute humanitarian and security catastrophe we're facing was created 
on purpose--this is exactly what this administration and Democrats in 
Congress want to see inflicted on our Nation.
    The impact on my home State of Texas is profound--from the lives 
lost, property destroyed, taxpayer dollars spent to not only try to 
handle the security our Federal Government has surrendered to Mexican 
cartels, but also on housing, schooling, and health care for the vast 
illegal immigrant population. So far under the Biden administration, 
approximately 4 million illegal aliens have unlawfully crossed the 
Texas border, 1.9 million in 2023 alone, representing nearly half of 
those apprehended across the country! Additionally, Texas had about 
half a million ``known got-aways'' detected by Border Patrol--
representing nearly 60 percent of those Nation-wide. As you are aware, 
these got-aways are the most dangerous of the millions of illegal 
immigrants--these illegal aliens are very likely violent criminals, 
gang members, and potential members of terrorist cells now operating in 
our country.
    To stop the vast tsunami of human trafficking, drug trafficking, 
and invasion of our country, Texas has had to spend over $5 billion to 
support law enforcement operations to protect our people through 
Operation Lone Star, under which Texas has:
   Apprehended more than 400,000 illegal immigrants.
   Arrested more than 33,000 criminals, with more than 30,000 
        felony charges reported.
   Seized over 426 million lethal doses of fentanyl.
    Our State shouldn't need to be responsible for this kind of 
massive, national security operation. But while we dig in and fight 
back, Democrat-run, virtue-signaling, sanctuary cities protest because 
a few thousand illegal immigrants are brought to their doorsteps--even 
though they asked for this when they declared their sanctuary city 
status in the first place.
    Texas is the front line of Biden's border disaster. Not only are 
Mexican cartels in control of the Southern Border, they're supported by 
the Biden administration which focuses the Border Patrol and ICE not on 
apprehending and deporting people, but on processing illegal immigrants 
as fast as possible and then moving them across the country with 
taxpayer-funded transportation. Put simply, Mayorkas' DHS operation has 
created transportation assistance for human trafficking and a massive 
new era of human slavery in America.
    Locally, in 2023 alone, the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office made 
115 human trafficking-related arrests and made outreach to the nearly 
100 potential, known, and suspected victims they identified. In one 
case of human smuggling this year, 10 victims were identified and the 
operation was tied back to a Mexican cartel. The victims were so 
fearful of the traffickers that our Sheriff's Office could not 
determine whether they were only forced laborers or also brought into 
the country for sex trafficking. This is the cruel reality of the Biden 
administration's open border policies.
    Equally tragic, the vast amounts of deadly drugs smuggled into our 
State are destroying lives and families. More than 1,100 North Texans 
have died from fentanyl poisoning since Biden took office. State-wide, 
drug-related deaths involving fentanyl skyrocketed by 33 percent since 
2019, now accounting for almost half of all drug-related deaths, 
killing an average of 5 Texans per day. It is a lie to say fentanyl 
only comes through the ports of entry. That's just what DHS is 
catching. Far more is flooding Texas and the rest of our country 
through our unsecure Southern Border.
    Earlier this year in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch School District, 
fentanyl was laced into pills and sold in middle and high schools--
sometimes by dealers as young as 14 years old. Nine teenage students 
overdosed, 3 of whom died. When investigators caught and charged the 
main drug dealer, he ultimately pled guilty to selling more than 
100,000 fake pills laced with fentanyl. Young children, with a lifetime 
in front of them, are cut down every day because the administration 
does not seem to care how high the body count goes as long as they can 
keep the border open.
    I've spoken with too many mothers in North Texas who have lost 
children to fentanyl. The grief and pain they bear is soul-crushing, 
especially since these deaths could have been prevented by simply 
enforcing the laws we had on the books before this administration put 
American lives at risk.
    I want to commend the efforts made by Chairman Green and this 
committee in investigating Mayorkas' dereliction of duty and his role 
in perpetuating the crisis at our Southern Border. The investigations 
have shown decisively that Secretary Mayorkas has failed to execute the 
duties of his office. He has violated the trust of the American people 
by lying to them and Congress. Worse, he has actively prevented the 
enforcement of our Nation's laws in the name of political expediency at 
the cost of American lives. I urge Chairman Green and my colleagues on 
the committee to continue in your efforts to hold Secretary Mayorkas 
accountable through impeachment from his office.
    I yield back.

    Chairman Green. The gentlelady yields. I now recognize the 
gentlelady from California, Ms. Young Kim, for 5 minutes of 
testimony.

STATEMENT OF HON. YOUNG KIM, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM 
                    THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

    Mrs. Kim. Thank you, Chairman Green. I want to thank you 
for convening this important Member Day hearing to learn about 
our priorities this Congress. Now, more than ever, it is very 
important that any border legislation that is considered has 
input from both sides of the aisle. Our Southern Border 
continues to be an urgent national security, humanitarian, and 
public health crisis. According to CBP, we saw over 240,000 
illegal border crossings in October 2023 alone, and that is the 
32nd straight month of over 150,000 illegal crossings.
    The border crisis has led to many unaccompanied migrant 
children being released to live with strangers who could 
exploit them. Additionally, there are reports that the Federal 
Government has lost contact with tens of thousands of migrant 
children. As a mother, as a grandmother, and now it pains me to 
think that there are children in this country not enjoying the 
care, protection, and the love of their own parents.
    Distinguished Members of this committee, I represent 
California's 40th Congressional District, which lies on the 
east portion of Orange County. It is close to the borders of 
San Diego and Imperial counties. The southernmost city in my 
district is just about 90 miles away from the U.S.-Mexico 
border. Many of my constituents are being harmed by the drug 
trade propagated by cartel organizations.
    Our Orange County Sheriff, Don Barnes, estimates that from 
2021 to 2022, the seizures of fentanyl had more than quadrupled 
to 450 pounds. The Orange County Sheriff's Office also seized 
more than 405 pounds, 100 pounds, 405 pound--I am sorry, 
405,000 pills suspected of containing fentanyl in 2022. That is 
25 times the amount seized in 2021.
    Chairman Green and Ranking Members, and the Members of this 
committee, earlier this year, I introduced H.R. 3508, the 
Comprehensive Southern Border Strategy Act. This is a 
bipartisan bill to create a southern border strategy to secure 
every mile of our border. I thank Representatives Michael 
Guest, Chris Pappas, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez for joining me 
in introducing this bill. Specifically, the legislation directs 
the Secretary of Homeland Security to enact a comprehensive 
overview of current security risks at Southern Border, review 
the Department's technology and tools used to combat drug 
trafficking, with a focus on fentanyl and related substances, 
and provide detailed accounts to assess operational control for 
each mile of the Southern Border and calculate a per-mile cost 
for protecting our border.
    Back in 2016, President Obama signed legislation into law 
to establish a comprehensive strategy for our Northern Border. 
So why can't we act to do the same with our Southern Border? I 
urge this committee to seriously consider my bipartisan 
legislation H.R. 3508 for mark-up. While my bill is no silver 
bullet to solving the border crisis, the legislation would 
allow us to take an important strategic step to protect our 
Southern Border. I look forward to working with you and the 
committee to get this bill signed into law. Thank you for this 
opportunity to speak before this committee and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
    [The statement of Hon. Kim follows:]
                      Statement of Hon. Young Kim
                            December 6, 2023
    Thank you, Chairman Green, and Ranking Member Thompson, for 
convening this important Member Day hearing to learn about our 
priorities this Congress.
    Now more than ever, is very important that any border legislation 
that is considered has input from both sides of the aisle.
    Our Southern Border continues to be an urgent national security, 
humanitarian, and public health crisis.
    According to CBP, we saw over 240,000 illegal border crossings in 
October 2023 alone--the 32nd straight month of over 150,000 illegal 
crossings.
    The border crisis has led to many unaccompanied migrant children 
being released to live with strangers who could exploit them. 
Additionally, there are reports that the Federal Government has lost 
contact with tens of thousands of migrant children. As a mother, and 
now a grandmother, it pains me to think that there are children in this 
country not enjoying the care, protection, and love of their own 
parents.
    Distinguished Members of this committee, I represent California's 
40th District which lies on the east portion of Orange County.
    The southernmost city in my district is just about 90 miles away 
from the U.S.-Mexico border. Many of my constituents are being harmed 
by the drug trade propagated by cartel organizations.
    Our Orange County Sheriff, Don Barnes, estimates that from 2021 to 
2022 seizures of fentanyl had more than quadrupled to 450 pounds. The 
Orange County Sheriff's office also seized more than 405,000 pills 
suspected of containing fentanyl in 2022--25 times the amount seized in 
2021.
    Chairman Green, earlier this year I introduced H.R. 3508--the 
Comprehensive Southern Border Strategy Act--a bipartisan bill to create 
a Southern Border strategy to secure every mile of our border.
    I thank Representatives Michael Guest, Chris Pappas, and Marie 
Gluesenkamp-Perez for joining me in introducing this bill.
    Specifically, the legislation directs the Secretary of Homeland 
Security to enact a comprehensive overview of current security risks at 
the Southern Border; review the Department's technology and tools used 
to combat drug trafficking, with a focus on fentanyl and related 
substances; provide detailed accounts to assess operational control for 
each mile of the Southern Border; and calculate a per-mile cost for 
protecting our border.
    Back in 2016, President Obama signed legislation into law to 
establish a comprehensive strategy for our Northern Border. Why can't 
we act to do the same with our Southern Border?
    I urge this committee to seriously consider my bipartisan 
legislation--H.R. 3508--for mark-up. While my bill is no silver bullet 
to solving the border crisis, the legislation will allow us to take an 
important strategic step to protect our Southern Border. I look forward 
to working with you and the committee to get this bill signed into law.
    Thanks for the opportunity to speak in front of the committee. I 
yield back my time.

    Chairman Green. The gentlelady yields. I now recognize the 
gentleman from Texas, Mr. Pat Fallon.

STATEMENT OF HON. PAT FALLON, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM 
                       THE STATE OF TEXAS

    Mr. Fallon. Good morning, Chairman Green. I want to thank 
you all and appreciate the opportunity to come and testify 
today. I think we should ask ourselves one very important 
question, basic question. Is the border secure? It is a binary 
choice. Is it yes, or no? In a recent poll, 71 percent of 
Americans did not think the border was secure. I don't think 
this issue can be ignored any longer unless, of course, your 
name is Alejandro Mayorkas, because he has testified on 
multiple occasions that he believes the border is secure. In 
fact, in this very committee, on September 22, 2021, he said, 
and I want to get this right by quoting him, that the border 
was, in relation to the Southern Border, ``no less secure than 
it was previously.''
    That is an interesting statement, but is it true? So, we 
have data, and it proves that to be patently false. Since Joe 
Biden took office, there have been more than 8 million illegal 
border crossings in his first 34 months in office. Compare that 
to the Obama administration, that was 1.36 million. Compare it 
to the Trump administration, it was 1.6 million. So, it is 5 
times worse than it was under the previous 2 administrations. 
Is that no less secure than it was previously?
    Let's look at the Terrorist Watch List. Under President 
Trump in his first 34 months, 11 people were apprehended that 
were on the Terrorist Watch List. Under Joe Biden, it was 280, 
a 2,500 percent increase. That, sir, is not no less secure than 
it was previously.
    How about fentanyl deaths? Fentanyl deaths, and opioid 
deaths overall, in 2018, we lost tragically 67,000 Americans, 
in 2018. In 2022, that number was 107,000. So, let's put that 
in some historical context here. During World War II, the 
largest war that we were ever, largest conflict we were ever 
involved with, we took on Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany, 
synchronously. We lost 302 Americans every single day. We are 
losing 293 Americans every single day to opioid overdoses. This 
is asymmetrical warfare being waged by the Communist Chinese 
Government. Most of the opioid deaths are from fentanyl. Almost 
all the fentanyl precursors are manufactured and made in China 
and then ferried through Mexico.
    So, fentanyl deaths in 2018 were 31,000. In 2022, they were 
73,000. That is a 235 percent increase.
    How about Chinese nationals crossing our Southern Border? 
In fiscal year 2019, there were 323 Chinese nationals that 
crossed the Southern Border. Last fiscal year it was 24,048. 
That is a 7,445 percent increase.
    So, I can tell you in review what this is not. When you 
have total encounters going from 1.6 million to 8 million, a 
500 percent increase. You have Terrorist Watch List 
apprehensions go from 11 to 280, a 2,500 percent increase. You 
have fentanyl deaths going from 31,000 to 73,000, a 235 percent 
increase. You have Chinese nationals being apprehended 323 to 
24,048, a 7,445 percent increase. That is not no less secure 
than it was previously.
    One hundred sixty countries represented by folks crossing 
the border illegally, 107,000 dead Americans, and the Mexican 
drug cartel's profits are a record high at about, estimates say 
about $38 billion. So, what we have seen Alejandro Mayorkas 
preside over are open borders, mass catch and release, legally 
dubious parole programs, and undermining his own Border Patrol 
agents by severely limiting their ability to enforce the laws 
and the policies that are already on the books, never mind 
lying about them.
    He has proved himself patently unfit to hold the position 
of Secretary of Homeland Security. Let's look at that. Homeland 
Security. This is our homeland. This is our soil. This is about 
protecting not only our livelihoods, but the lives of our 
families and our future. It is long since time for him to go. I 
implore this committee that he be recommended for impeachment 
to the full chamber. Americans deserve a secure Southern Border 
because if you are not safe, then you are not free. Under 
Alejandro Mayorkas, we are not safe and we are not free. He 
must be impeached. Thank you very much. I yield back.
    [The statement of Hon. Fallon follows:]
                      Statement of Hon. Pat Fallon
                            December 1, 2023
    Good morning, Chairman Green, Ranking Member Thompson, and my 
fellow colleagues.
    Thank you for providing me this opportunity to testify before the 
Homeland Security Committee today.
    I'm here to address the effects of the border crisis on my home 
State of Texas as well as advocate for the impeachment of Homeland 
Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
    The Biden administration's open border policies have led to a 
humanitarian and national security crisis at our Southern Border. No 
State has been hit harder than Texas.
            illegal aliens making our communities less safe
    In September 2022, an illegal alien struck and killed Mike 
Hartwick, a sheriff's deputy in Pinellas County, Florida, before 
fleeing the scene. According to the sheriff's office, Juan Ariel 
Molina-Salles entered the country illegally in October 2021 in Eagle 
Pass, Texas, but was sent back to Mexico, at some point re-entering the 
country as a got-away.
    In March 2023, Diane Luckett, a mother of 3 and grandmother of 5, 
was killed by Anastacio Bemol Mendoza in Wichita Falls, Texas. Mendoza 
was reportedly intoxicated when he caused the crash and had prior 
criminal convictions on his record.
                     costs to local law enforcement
    American efforts to save lives sometimes end in tragedy. In 2022, 
Texas National Guardsman Bishop Evans tragically lost his life trying 
to save 2 individuals who were drowning in the Rio Grande near Eagle 
Pass, Texas. He saved their lives, but a few days after the incident, 
Texas Rangers determined that both individuals ``were involved in 
illicit transnational narcotics trafficking.''
    It is also important to remember that illegal aliens frequently tie 
up first responder and law enforcement resources that would otherwise 
go to helping American citizens and other lawful residents.
    Sheriff Benny Martinez of Brooks County, Texas, has reported 
similar experiences, saying, ``You've just got to juggle it. The staff 
has learned to do that. We're always playing catch-up on calls, because 
that's just the way it is.'' Martinez has also said that efforts to 
recover bodies of individuals who have perished in the wilderness can 
take 3 to 4 hours, leaving the county without sufficient law 
enforcement presence during that time.
    By September-October 2022, the city of El Paso, Texas, was spending 
$250,000-300,000 per day to handle the historic flow of illegal aliens 
into the city. 177 [sic] Over the course of a year, that would 
represent approximately $90 million, nearly 20 percent of the city's 
general fund budget for fiscal year 2023.
                         impeachment resolution
    That is why on January 9, 2023, the very first day legislation 
could be introduced this Congress, I introduced House Resolution 8 to 
impeach Secretary Mayorkas for high crimes and misdemeanors.
    The fact of the matter is his failures to address the widening 
immigration crisis have left the Southern Border unprotected.
    Cartels, violent criminals, drug traffickers, and illegal 
immigrants have taken advantage of his weaknesses to sidestep Federal 
immigration law and wreak havoc on our Nation.
    Most of us here today are aware of the tragedy at the border. 
Thanks in part to the hard work this committee has done over the last 
11 months while in the Majority.
    Under the leadership of Secretary Mayorkas:
   We have seen over 8 million illegal border encounters. 
        That's more people than in the 12 years of the Obama and Trump 
        administrations combined.
   A record amount of fentanyl seized at the border, totaling 
        approximately 52,900 pounds. In Texas, fentanyl-related deaths 
        rose 89 percent from 2020 to 2021.
   More than 280 people on terrorist watch lists caught while 
        attempting to cross the border at ports of entry.
   For context, from fiscal year 2017-2020, between ports of 
        entry along the Southwest and Northern Borders, Border Patrol 
        apprehended just 14 individuals whose names were on the terror 
        watch list.
   Think about this, there were more apprehended in September 
        2023--18 total--than in 4 fiscal years combined.
   There have been approximately 1.8 million known ``got-
        aways'' who have evaded U.S. authorities.
   The annual number of Unaccompanied Alien Children referred 
        to HHS custody after crossing illegally has more than tripled 
        over the past 2 years.
   Mayorkas has also attacked our hardworking men and women of 
        the Border Patrol and undermined their efforts by spreading 
        false accusations of systemic racism. By spreading false, far-
        left narratives, he effectively slandered these agents and 
        embarrassed his office.
    Bottom line, time and time again, Secretary Mayorkas has 
demonstrated that he is unfit to lead the Department of Homeland 
Security.
    And as this committee has shown, it is a failure by design.
    It's time for him to go.
    My resolution, which has 49 cosponsors, outlines the following 
three articles:
    1. In his conduct while Secretary of Homeland Security of the 
        United States, Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, in violation of his 
        Constitutional oath, engaged in a pattern of conduct that is 
        incompatible with his duties as an Officer of the United 
        States.
    2. In his conduct while Secretary of Homeland Security of the 
        United States, Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, in violation of his 
        Constitutional oath, willfully provided perjurious, false, and 
        misleading testimony to Congress.
    3. In his conduct while Secretary of Homeland Security of the 
        United States, Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas knowingly slandered 
        his own hardworking Border Patrol agents and misled the public.
    Americans deserve, and frankly must have, a secure Southern Border. 
If you're not safe, then you're not free. Allowing unchecked migration 
and turning a blind eye to record cartel profits is unconscionable but 
that's the tragic reality we face.
    We are a Nation of law and order, and Alejandro Mayorkas is not 
deserving of holding public office for his grievous actions. He must be 
impeached and removed from office now!

    Chairman Green. The gentleman yields. We will now go to our 
next final panel. I want to thank the Members that have come, 
Mr. Donalds from Florida, Mr. Moylan from Guam. Please come on 
up and take a seat. I now recognize the gentleman from Florida, 
Mr. Byron Donalds, for 5 minutes of testimony.

 STATEMENT OF HON. BYRON DONALDS, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS 
                   FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA

    Mr. Donalds. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the 
opportunity and Members of the committee--sorry about that. 
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the ability to come and testify, 
and Members of the committee who are here in attendance. To get 
to the point, the purpose of being here is to discuss the 
border crisis and to make sure that the committee is aware of 
three relevant legislative initiatives that are coming from my 
office. The first is the Reform Immigration through Biometrics 
Act. This is actually a piece of legislation that Mr. Higgins 
from Louisiana is a cosponsor of. The second is the CBP Act, 
and the third is the Safeguard Americans from Intrusive Federal 
Data Collection Act.
    I represent Florida's 19th Congressional District, which 
covers Lee County and Collier County in southwest Florida. The 
out-of-control border is impacting my district the same way it 
is impacting every district throughout these United States. In 
2021, the top two destination States for apprehended migrants 
awaiting their parole hearing were Texas and Florida. Let me 
restress that again, Texas and Florida.
    When a migrant is released into our country, very rarely do 
they actually go for the subsequent immigration hearing. In 
2019, over $2 billion in Florida alone was spent to provide 
illegal aliens with Medicare--with Medicaid, excuse me, 
emergency health care, and schooling. Additionally, last year, 
the Florida Legislature allocated $12 million for illegal alien 
relocation because our State was being burdened by these 
issues. It has obviously been widely reported that our Governor 
actually moved some of these migrants to Martha's Vineyard and 
the rest. But the point is clear, Florida was being burdened by 
migrants coming into our country through all these various 
programs.
    I want to get right to the policies that we were discussing 
here. The first is the Reform Immigration through Biometrics 
Act. As a member of the Oversight and Accountability Committee, 
it is important to ensure that agencies are following their 
statutory directive. In 2004, the 9/11 Commission directed DHS 
to implement a comprehensive biometric entry/exit system. The 
directive was solidified into U.S. Code in 2006. To date, DHS 
has fully implemented a biometric entry system for foreign 
nationals, but not a comprehensive biometric exit system. The 
exit system still does not exist. This is unacceptable. What my 
bill would do is provide much-needed oversight for the 
implementation of the statutory directive to ultimately 
determine why DHS hasn't fulfilled their directive almost 2 
decades later.
    A couple of key points. CBP has partially deployed a 
biometric entry/exit system at select airports and seaports and 
all pedestrian lanes at both borders. But a comprehensive 
biometric entry system is worthless without the exit system, as 
DHS must rely on estimates to determine whether individuals 
have overstayed their visas. Mr. Chairman, that is just not 
going to work. You are not going to have a sound process for 
managing visas in our country if we know when people come in, 
but we never know when they leave. That is just a prudent thing 
to do for our country.
    The second bill is called the CBP Act. Its title is fully 
Corralling Aliens with Biometrics and Penalties Act. This bill 
will require all aliens participating in the Alternatives to 
Direction program to simply check in with their DHS Secretary. 
If an alien fails to meet the obligation of checking in with 
the Department of Homeland Security, they are subject to 
immediate deportation.
    Why is this important? If you are coming into our country, 
but you are not checking in with a relevant agent at the 
Department of Homeland Security, then there are serious 
questions about what you are doing in our country. This is a 
very simple thing. A couple of statistics. Currently, in the 
Alternatives to Detention program, there are 190,000 
participants. In 2019, there were 101,000 participants. In 
2015, it was 26,000 participants. There has been a 283 percent 
increase for use of this program.
    So, what this bill simply wants to do is ensure that people 
are checking in. The bill ensures that aliens are participating 
with the agency program. They maintain contact with DHS agents, 
and they are aware of what is happening with the current 
process of their immigration hearings. It provides much-needed 
oversight. I think this is a key piece of legislation that we 
need to have move forward to help secure our Nation.
    The last bill is very different from the other two. This is 
the Safeguard Americans from Intrusive Federal Data Collection. 
Now, I am a Clear member. A lot of Members of Congress use 
Clear. A lot of citizens use Clear. Clear is a program that 
takes your biometric data, and then it makes it easier for you 
to move through airport screenings so you don't have to go in 
the long line. Your TSA PreCheck, that is a different data set. 
But Clear allows you to use biometrics.
    This bill will prohibit the Department of Homeland Security 
from collecting biometric data on American citizens after a 
trial period and connect it with one of these programs. 
Biometrics would definitely assist with combating illegal 
immigration of visa overstays. But Biometric information 
collected against American citizens on a temporary basis should 
not be allowed and it should not be retained by the Federal 
Government.
    In short, Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for having this 
opportunity for Members to come and provide different pieces of 
legislation that they feel will help this committee and help 
Congress do our job and secure this Nation. The last thing I 
will add, Joe Biden needs to secure the border. Mr. Chairman, 
enough is enough. He can do it tomorrow. He could do it today. 
I will help him write the Executive Order myself. With that, I 
yield back.
    [The statement of Hon. Donalds follows:]
                    Statement of Hon. Byron Donalds
    Thanks, Chair Green for the invitation to testify.
    Purpose of being here: to discuss the border crisis & make the 
committee aware of the following four legislative initiatives from my 
office:
    (1) the Reform Immigration through Biometrics Act;
    (2) the CBP Act;
    (3) the Seize Additional Everglades Funding Act; and
    (4) the Safeguard Americans from Intrusive Federal Data Collection 
        Act.
    I represent Florida's 19th District which covers Lee County and 
Collier County, in Southwest Florida.
    The out-of-control border is impacting my district & the Sunshine 
State every day.
   In 2021, the top two destination States for apprehended 
        migrants awaiting their parole hearing=TX & FL
     (i.e. around 95 percent of individuals don't return for 
            their subsequent immigration hearing)
   In FL in 2019, over $2 billion were spent to provide illegal 
        aliens with Medicaid, Emergency Healthcare, and Schooling.
     Americans don't want their taxpayer dollars spent on 
            illegal aliens
   In 2017, the top two destination States for nonimmigrant 
        visa holders=CA & FL
     So don't tell me that immigration policy doesn't impact 
            the State of Florida--every city is a border city.
    Before I begin, to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, 
advocating for the implementation of meaningful immigration reform is 
NOT ``racist''.
   In fact, individuals from 160+ countries are invading our 
        country's porous border--not everyone is black & brown.
     Chalking border security up to racism completely ignores 
            the fact that it is predominately black and brown Americans 
            feeling the direct impact of the Democrat's open border 
            crisis. Look no further than minorities in Chicago and New 
            York City that are up in arms that illegals overrun their 
            cities.
     Black and brown schools are overflowing with migrant 
            children, putting a massive burden on resources.
     Black and brown public facilities are now migrant-holding 
            areas, significantly impacting the quality of life for 
            countless children and families.
     New York City Mayor Eric Adams said himself, the migrant 
            crisis ``will destroy'' New York City and cost the city $12 
            billion.
     Even Cardi B has had enough. She went on Instagram Live to 
            condemn these progressive policies that will leave her 
            beloved city and family ailing due to a massive cut to 
            public resources, like the NYPD, schools, and sanitation.
    The first bill I'd like to discuss--the Reform Immigration through 
Biometrics Act.
   As a member of the Oversight and Accountability Committee, 
        it's important to ensure agencies are following their statutory 
        directive.
   Specifically in August 2004, the 9/11 Commission directed 
        DHS to implement a comprehensive biometric entry/exit system. 
        This directive was implemented into the U.S. Code in 2006.
     To date, DHS has fully implemented a biometric entry 
            system for foreign nationals--but no comprehensive 
            biometric exit system exists.
     This is unacceptable. My bill seeks to provide oversight 
            of this statutory directive, to ultimately determine why 
            DHS hasn't fulfilled their directive almost two decades 
            later.
   A few major points on the importance of biometrics:
     CBP has partially deployed a biometric entry/exit system 
            at select airports/seaports & all pedestrian lanes at both 
            borders.
     A comprehensive biometric entry system is WORTHLESS w/o a 
            comprehensive exit system--as DHS must rely on estimates to 
            determine whether individuals overstayed their visa.
     In fact, nonimmigrants who overstay their visas account 
            for more than half of all new entrants to America's 
            unauthorized alien population.
     Building a wall is just one step in controlling the out-
            of-control immigration crisis.
     The other step is addressing the number of nonimmigrants 
            who overstay their visas.
   Also, the allocation of nonimmigrant visas (mainly for 
        tourism and business purposes) has increased over 80 percent 
        since 2009--no wonder why FL is experiencing an illegal 
        immigration crisis
     Illegal aliens don't want to leave FL
   Overall, this bill would require an evaluation of CBP's 
        failure to carry out its statutory directive to establish a 
        comprehensive biometric entry/exit system.
    Next--the Corralling aliens with Biometrics and Penalties Act (or 
the CBP Act)
   This simple bill requires all aliens present in the United 
        States (pursuant to the Alternatives to Detention program) to 
        check in with the DHS Secretary.
     If the alien fails to meet this check in obligation, they 
            would be subject to immediate deportation.
   As we've seen, the Alternatives to Detention program has its 
        flaws (such as individuals initially checking in with DHS and 
        then never showing up for their subsequent immigration 
        hearing)--which is unacceptable.
     This bill ensures that aliens participating under the ATD 
            program maintain contact with DHS as they await their 
            immigration hearing.
     This bill also requires all ATD participants to submit 
            their biometric information before ATD program begins and 
            after the ATD program ends.
     Finally, this bill adds a strong penalty of deportation--
            acting as a deterrent to anyone who plans on evading the 
            American legal immigration system.
    Next--Seize Additional Everglades Funding Act
   Importance of Everglades restoration.
   Funding is important to revitalize the environmental 
        treasure.
   This bill establishes an account to restore America's 
        Everglades.
   Funding comes from seized cartel assets at 1 of the 15 
        seaports in the State of Florida.
   Transnational cartels are trying to bypass the immigration 
        system, illegally funneling money to further their operations.
     This is a great opportunity to take seized assets and 
            transfer them into an account dedicated to furthering 
            Everglades restoration.
    Next--Safeguard Americans from Intrusive Federal Data Collection 
Act
   Different than the other 3 bills mentioned above. (i.e. it's 
        not immigration-focused).
   This bill is simple. It would prohibit DHS from collecting 
        American citizens' data/information after a trial period in 
        connection with certain trusted traveler programs ends (e.g. 
        TSA--Clear).
     Biometrics=assist with combatting illegal immigration
     But biometric information collected against American 
            citizens on a temporary basis should NOT be retained by the 
            Federal Government
     Especially if the Federal Government lures individuals 
            into participating temporarily.
    Conclusion--the border is a mess and Secretary Mayorkas is doing a 
terrible job. It's time for his impeachment. Derelict of duty.
    Thank you Chairman Green for considering my legislative 
initiatives.

    Chairman Green. The gentleman yields. I now recognize the 
gentleman from Guam, Mr. Moylan, for his 5 minutes of 
testimony.

 STATEMENT OF HON. JAMES MOYLAN, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS 
                   FROM THE TERRITORY OF GUAM

    Mr. Moylan. Mr. Chairman and my fellow colleagues, thank 
you for holding this hearing and your extensive efforts on 
issues important to this committee. Any day when I can share 
with you my district's priorities is a good one. Given the 
numerous issues that my island is experiencing that fall under 
the committee's jurisdiction, today is all that much more 
important.
    The security of Guam is directly correlated to the homeland 
and national security of our great Nation. Often, discourse 
surrounding homeland security pertains to our Southern Border, 
migrants flooding in by the thousands, and lack or frankly, 
non-existent border policy, and threats to our homeland. These 
concerns are not unique to the mainland. The island of Guam 
sits in the middle of the Pacific, in close proximity to our 
allies in the region, such as South Korea, Japan, and the 
Philippines. However, our strategic location also positions us 
to be the front door to the United States when in conflict with 
China.
    If harnessed correctly, Guam could be America's greatest 
asset in deterring Chinese aggression before it reaches the 
shores of our country. But without adequate attention and 
proportional response to threats to Guam, our shared interests 
will fester into shared complications. Currently, Guam faces 
numerous threats, such as illegal migration and severe 
underfunding, leading to concerning lack of resources. Much of 
this stems from fundamental misunderstanding of the substance 
and severity of these issues. The common denominator to Guam 
homeland insecurity is China.
    Illegal migration is not unique to our Northern and 
Southern Borders. In Guam, every coastline is a potential point 
of entry for illegal migrants to step foot onto the island 
without documentation or alerting relevant authorities. Given 
the presence of Anderson Air Force Base and many other military 
installations critical to our Nation's defense, it is essential 
we do not allow free movement of migrants from the very Nation 
we spend so much of our time here talking about.
    I have been made aware of episodes where security forces at 
Anderson Air Force Base have apprehended foreign nationals 
attempting to illegally access the base, including by use of 
small boats making landing on the northern coastline of Guam 
under the cover of night.
    Finally, annual Homeland Security grants are determined by 
the SHSP risk profile formula, which focuses on potential for a 
terrorist attack in each jurisdiction. Now, while Guam is not a 
high-value target for traditional terror groups, its chief 
concern is state-sanctioned gray zone warfare, such as the high 
publicized hacks of critical infrastructure by the CCP.
    The current $1 million annually that our local DHS office 
receives is nowhere near adequate to counter the State-level 
threats that our local government faces daily.
    My colleagues, without your support and the joint effort of 
the committee, China inches closer to our shores by the day. 
Their aggression becomes increasingly brazen, and frankly, it 
is un-American to passively watch our sovereignty and our 
national security hang by a thread. Protecting Guam's interest 
is protecting America's interest.
    I urge you to recognize the pressing nature of these issues 
and join me in retaking an offensive position in this matter. I 
thank you for the chance to come and speak before the committee 
today. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
    [The statement of Hon. Moylan follows:]
                     Statement of Hon. James Moylan
    Mister Chairman and my fellow colleagues: Thank you for holding 
this hearing and your extensive efforts on issues important to this 
committee. Any day when I can share with you my district's priorities 
is a good one. And given the numerous issues that my island is 
experiencing that fall under this committee's jurisdiction, today is 
all that much more important.
    The security of Guam is directly correlated to the homeland and 
national security of our great Nation. Often, discourse surrounding 
homeland security pertains to our Southern Border--migrants flooding in 
by the thousands, a lax (or frankly, nonexistent) border policy, and 
threats to our homeland. These concerns are not unique to the mainland.
    The island of Guam sits in the middle of the Pacific, in close 
proximity to our allies in the region such as South Korea, Japan, and 
the Philippines. However, our strategic location also positions us to 
be the front door to the United States when in conflict with China.
    If harnessed correctly, Guam could be America's greatest asset in 
deterring Chinese aggression before it reaches the shores of our 
country. But without adequate attention and proportional response to 
threats to Guam, our shared interest will fester into shared 
complications.
    Currently, Guam faces numerous threats, such as illegal migration 
and severe underfunding leading to a concerning lack of resources. Much 
of this stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of the substance and 
severity of these issues.
    The common denominator to Guam's homeland insecurity is China.
    Illegal migration is not unique to our Northern and Southern 
Borders; in Guam, every coastline is a potential point of entry for 
illegal migrants to step foot onto the island without documentation or 
alerting relevant authorities. Given the presence of Andersen Airforce 
Base and many other military installations critical to our Nation's 
defense, it is essential we do not allow free movement of migrants from 
the very Nation we spend so much of our time here talking about. I have 
been made aware of episodes where security forces at AAFB have 
apprehended foreign nationals attempting to illegally access the base, 
including by use of small boats making landings on the northern 
coastline of Guam under the cover of night.
    Finally, annual homeland security grants are determined by the SHSP 
risk profile formula, which focuses on the potential for a terrorist 
attack in each jurisdiction. While Guam is not a high-value target for 
traditional terror groups, its chief concern is State-sanctioned gray 
zone warfare, such as the highly-publicized hacks of critical 
infrastructure by the CCP. The current $1 million annually that our 
local DHS office receives is nowhere near adequate to counter the State 
level threats that our local government faces daily.
    My colleagues, without your support and the joint effort of the 
committee, China inches closer to our shores by the day. Their 
aggression becomes increasingly brazen, and frankly, it is un-American 
to passively watch our sovereignty and national security hang by a 
thread. Protecting Guam's interests is protecting America's interests. 
I urge you to recognize the pressing nature of these issues and join me 
in retaking an offensive position in this matter.
    I thank you for the chance to come and speak before the committee 
today, and I yield back.

    Chairman Green. I want to thank the Member from Guam for 
his testimony. I really appreciate that. It was actually 
enlightening to me about the intrusion into the base. Thank you 
for that. I would love to have you send some link or something 
to me if you could on that. That would be very helpful. I think 
my staff would appreciate that. You have any questions?
    Mr. Higgins. No, sir.
    Chairman Green. Thank you. Have a great rest of your day. 
Thanks for your testimony.
    Yes, it is just me and you. Any comments? I thank the 
witnesses for their valuable testimony and Members for their 
questions. Members not able to present today are permitted to 
submit written testimony for the record. Pursuant to committee 
rule VII(D), the hearing record will be held open for 10 days 
for such testimony. Without objection, the committee stands 
adjourned.
    [Whereupon, at 11:11 a.m., the committee was adjourned.]

                               [all]