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.”
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Former Army captain warns Dems’ ‘unpatriotic’ video could spark chaos
Trump calls Chicago ‘out of control’ after train attack left woman critically burned
Driver of stolen car rolls into oncoming traffic on Colorado highway killing 5, including 3 children
Father of cheerleader who died on Carnival cruise subpoenaed to testify in custody case
Report: The FBI Has the ‘Seditious Six’ in Its Sights, Is Pursuing Interviews with Each Lawmaker
DHS torches ‘bamboozled’ Dems for calling ICE crackdown ‘vicious lies’
Trump can’t resist Biden autopen dig as he declares last year’s Thanksgiving turkey pardons invalid
Hegseth rips Mark Kelly’s post about his service: ‘You can’t even display your uniform correctly’
Mark Kelly and Democrats turn ‘seditious six’ accusations into fundraising boon
Pete Hegseth Torches Sen. Mark Kelly After Spotting a Problem with His Uniform
Democratic Senator Appears to Threaten Military Amid Mark Kelly Investigation: ‘There Will Be Consequences’
War on badges: House GOP targets anti-police rhetoric amid ICE attacks
Former House Speaker McCarthy warns Marjorie Taylor Greene is ‘the canary in the coal mine’
Watch: Just As Ilhan Omar Says Somalis Help America ‘Thrive,’ DOJ Adds 78th Suspect to $250 Million Tax Dollar Somali Money Laundering Investigation
Students find more violent imagery near University of Wisconsin campus after anti-ICE displays probed
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.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Former Army captain warns Dems’ ‘unpatriotic’ video could spark chaos
Trump calls Chicago ‘out of control’ after train attack left woman critically burned
Driver of stolen car rolls into oncoming traffic on Colorado highway killing 5, including 3 children
Father of cheerleader who died on Carnival cruise subpoenaed to testify in custody case
Report: The FBI Has the ‘Seditious Six’ in Its Sights, Is Pursuing Interviews with Each Lawmaker
DHS torches ‘bamboozled’ Dems for calling ICE crackdown ‘vicious lies’
Trump can’t resist Biden autopen dig as he declares last year’s Thanksgiving turkey pardons invalid
Hegseth rips Mark Kelly’s post about his service: ‘You can’t even display your uniform correctly’
Mark Kelly and Democrats turn ‘seditious six’ accusations into fundraising boon
Pete Hegseth Torches Sen. Mark Kelly After Spotting a Problem with His Uniform
Democratic Senator Appears to Threaten Military Amid Mark Kelly Investigation: ‘There Will Be Consequences’
War on badges: House GOP targets anti-police rhetoric amid ICE attacks
Former House Speaker McCarthy warns Marjorie Taylor Greene is ‘the canary in the coal mine’
Watch: Just As Ilhan Omar Says Somalis Help America ‘Thrive,’ DOJ Adds 78th Suspect to $250 Million Tax Dollar Somali Money Laundering Investigation
Students find more violent imagery near University of Wisconsin campus after anti-ICE displays probed
“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.
