Texas Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee demanded there be an “internal” DHS task force to investigate child migrant deaths, but then was informed that such an entity already exists.
“I believe there should be an internal task force set up dealing with children, dealing with children’s death,” Jackson Lee said Wednesday during a House Homeland Security hearing. She was speaking to Kevin McAleenan, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). “My question to you is: Will you set up an internal in-house task force to deal with … these deaths, to find what solutions should be put in place?”
The acting DHS secretary then informed Jackson Lee that the task force she was describing already exists within the department.
“We already have internal task forces working these issues,” McAleenan responded. In response, Jackson Lee asked for the names of the individuals involved because Americans are “outraged.”
Powerful Dem’s jabs at Trump come back to haunt her after office raided by FBI: ‘Aged well’
DeSantis hits Obama with brutal one-line response to DOJ politicization accusation: ‘Would like a word’
Karoline Leavitt welcomes daughter Viviana: ‘perfect and healthy’
EXCLUSIVE: Harvard-Trained MD Says ‘Coercive’ Vaccine Push Shattered Trust and Has Harris Voters Questioning the Experts
Watch: Hero Dad With a Gun Takes on Carjacker Who Turned Out to Be an Illegal… and Is Now Dead
Rabid beaver attacks boy fishing at New Jersey lake, prompting health officials to warn residents
Hantavirus cruise death toll rises to five after eight confirmed infections: WHO
Gorsuch highlights staggering decline in civic literacy that prompted him to author new book
Top Spanberger ally targeted in FBI corruption probe has long history of controversy
Watch: Tom Homan Ruins Kathy Hochul’s Night With Unexpected Update on Trump Policy on Live TV
Border Patrol Raids Disney Cruise Ship, Finds Every Parent’s Nightmare Lurking on Board – This Is What Dems Want Defunded
Feds seize mountain of fentanyl from ‘open-air drug market’ in massive crackdown targeting gang crews
Americans keep moving to Texas and Florida — but one other red state is growing even faster
China orders firms to ignore US Iran sanctions, daring US to enforce crackdown
Mamdani Berates Billionaire Outside His Residence Near UnitedHealthcare CEO Assassination Site
The exchange follows the death of a 16-year-old Guatemalan migrant who passed away while in Border Patrol custody.
The Guatemalan boy was apprehended on May 13 for illegally crossing the U.S. border near Hidalgo, Texas. He was diagnosed with the flu and prescribed medicine Sunday after telling medical staff he didn’t feel well. However, he was found unresponsive by Monday morning while in the Weslaco Station in Texas.
Following news of the boy’s death, Customs and Border Protection immediately announced that “an independent and thorough review of the circumstances” would be conducted. The facility that housed him has since stopped taking in new migrants after a high number of detainees began reporting flu-like symptoms.
The boy’s death — the fifth in Border Patrol custody since December — has sparked renewed outrage from Democratic lawmakers.
McAleenan said that DHS is already working to beef up medical resources to better accommodate the huge influx of families and children arriving at the border, informing Jackson Lee that 55 medical professionals are “on board” in El Paso alone to care for migrants.
Powerful Dem’s jabs at Trump come back to haunt her after office raided by FBI: ‘Aged well’
DeSantis hits Obama with brutal one-line response to DOJ politicization accusation: ‘Would like a word’
Karoline Leavitt welcomes daughter Viviana: ‘perfect and healthy’
EXCLUSIVE: Harvard-Trained MD Says ‘Coercive’ Vaccine Push Shattered Trust and Has Harris Voters Questioning the Experts
Watch: Hero Dad With a Gun Takes on Carjacker Who Turned Out to Be an Illegal… and Is Now Dead
Rabid beaver attacks boy fishing at New Jersey lake, prompting health officials to warn residents
Hantavirus cruise death toll rises to five after eight confirmed infections: WHO
Gorsuch highlights staggering decline in civic literacy that prompted him to author new book
Top Spanberger ally targeted in FBI corruption probe has long history of controversy
Watch: Tom Homan Ruins Kathy Hochul’s Night With Unexpected Update on Trump Policy on Live TV
Border Patrol Raids Disney Cruise Ship, Finds Every Parent’s Nightmare Lurking on Board – This Is What Dems Want Defunded
Feds seize mountain of fentanyl from ‘open-air drug market’ in massive crackdown targeting gang crews
Americans keep moving to Texas and Florida — but one other red state is growing even faster
China orders firms to ignore US Iran sanctions, daring US to enforce crackdown
Mamdani Berates Billionaire Outside His Residence Near UnitedHealthcare CEO Assassination Site
“These tragedies are devastating to us, and they are avoidable,” the DHS secretary said during the hearing. He used his time with lawmakers to not only request additional funds to address the crisis, but also called for legislative reforms to allow immigration officials to have “additional authorities” when handling unaccompanied minors from Central America.
“Our immigration system is full and we are well beyond our capacity at every stage of the process,” he said.
Story cited here.
