Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after an Office of Inspector General report was made public on the conduct of Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The report focuses on Mayorkas’ alleged special treatment given to certain petitioners of EB-5 regional centers during his time as the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Grassley was instrumental in
alerting authorities to the allegations brought forward by whistleblowers. After Mayorkas was nominated to be Deputy Secretary, several whistleblowers alerted Grassley to problems with the management of the EB-5 program, including the
national security implications of visa and regional center approvals, as well as the personal involvement of Mayorkas in the approval of some applications and the alleged re-writing of administrative decisions to benefit certain applicants. Mayorkas and the Obama administration
stonewalled and failed to answer Grassley’s questions prior to him being elevated to deputy secretary.
The EB-5 Regional Center Program is due for reauthorization this year. Grassley, as chairman of the committee of jurisdiction, is considering whether the program should be extended, and if so, what safeguards are critical to national security and the job creating intention of the program.
Here is Grassley’s comment on the report.
“Digging into the report and reading about specific cases, you can see just how questionable Mr. Mayorkas’ ethics and judgement were. And, just as bad, is the blind eye that the Obama administration turned when elevating this individual to the number two slot at the Department of Homeland Security. The sheer number of whistleblowers who came forward is a darn good indication as to how bad things were at the agency. They are courageous people for reporting these very serious allegations despite fear of retaliation, especially given that Mr. Mayorkas was being elevated by the President to be Deputy Secretary.
“It’s particularly disturbing to see that Mr. Mayorkas failed to apply to himself the very same ethical guidelines he published prohibiting preferential treatment. It’s hypocritical to require USCIS employees to follow these guidelines or be subject to disciplinary action, but not adhere to them himself.
"Now, after the IG substantiated this type of special access and favoritism for the politically connected, we’ll need to determine if other benefits have been provided against federal rules, statutes and policies. The U.S. immigration system should be governed by equal application of the law—not by who has the best political connections to the director of the agency.
“The IG’s findings are very serious, especially given the role Mr. Mayorkas now plays in the department. It’s a mystery as to why the former Senate majority allowed the nomination to move forward without waiting for this report to be completed. The President and Secretary Johnson need to take action to hold him accountable.”
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