WASHINGTON – At a classified national security briefing on the ongoing border
crisis, Biden administration officials declined to provide details that were
previously shared with staff. Now,
Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is calling on the
immigration officials to provide a more fulsome assessment of the national
security risks posed by the border crisis.
At
Grassley’s request, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Intelligence
and Analysis, Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs
Enforcement provided an April 1 classified staff briefing on the national
security situation along the Southern border. The severity of the details
shared prompted Grassley to seek an escalated briefing for committee members,
which occurred on April 19. However, at
that briefing, the same agencies failed to provide the same level of detail
they’d previously shared with staff. They have failed to follow up on questions
raised at the briefing despite pledges to do so.
“As I’ve
stated before, the Biden administration has created a national security crisis
at the border and members need to fully understand the national security
implications with respect to terrorists, narcoterrorists, human smugglers and
their criminal counterparts. When the committee asks for a full member-level
briefing, we expect your agencies to be open and transparent with as much
detail as possible. On April 19, 2021, that standard wasn’t met,” Grassley said in a letter to
immigration officials.
Grassley
is calling for prompt responses to all outstanding questions as well as a
follow-up briefing to cover material withheld from the lawmakers. Text of
Grassley’s
letter follows:
May 3, 2021
VIA ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION
The
Honorable Alejandro Mayorkas
Secretary
Department
of Homeland Security
Mr. Troy
A. Miller
Senior
Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner
Customs
and Border Protection
Mr. Tae
D. Johnson
Acting
Director
Immigration
and Customs Enforcement
Dear
Secretary Mayorkas, Mr. Miller, and Acting Director Johnson:
On April
1, 2021, at my request, the Department of Homeland Security Office of
Intelligence and Analysis, Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and
Customs Enforcement provided a classified briefing to my and Senator Durbin’s
staff regarding national security issues at the Southern Border. Given the importance and timeliness of the
information your staff provided, I requested a bipartisan member-level briefing
for the Senate Judiciary Committee.
On April
19, 2021, the committee had that bipartisan member-level briefing with the same
agencies. However, the agencies provided
less information to the members than they did to staff. Moreover, during the course of the briefing
and in response to member questions, the briefers stated that they would
provide responsive material after the briefing; however, your agencies have
failed to produce that responsive material to date.
As I’ve
stated before, the Biden administration has created a national security crisis
at the border and members need to fully understand the national security
implications with respect to terrorists, narcoterrorists, human smugglers and
their criminal counterparts. When the committee asks for a full
member-level briefing, we expect your agencies to be open and transparent with
as much detail as possible. On April 19,
2021, that standard wasn’t met.
Accordingly,
no later than May 10, 2021, please provide all responsive material in response
to member questions and work with my staff to arrange a follow-up member level
briefing to provide updates on the border crisis.
Thank
you for your attention to this important matter. Should you have any questions,
please contact Josh Flynn-Brown and Erin Creegan of my Judiciary Committee
staff at 202-224-5225.
Sincerely,
Charles
E. Grassley
Ranking
Member
Committee
on the Judiciary
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