Sen. Cruz Grills Sec. Mayorkas: The Immigration System Is ‘Broken, But You Broke It’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, this week participated in a committee hearing on oversight of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in which he questioned DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on the Biden administration’s immigration policies that have directly resulted in the ongoing humanitarian crisis at the southern border. During his first round of questioning, Sec. Mayorkas could not provide data on the conditions in immigration detention facilities, the crime caused by dangerous human trafficking, or how many COVID-positive illegal aliens the Biden administration has released into the United States. In his second round of questioning, Sec. Mayorkas refused to answer for the Biden administration’s proposed policy of paying illegal immigrants. Read excerpts of Sen. Cruz’s line of questioning below.
WATCH: Sen. Cruz Demands Accountability From Sec. Mayorkas on Biden Border Crisis
WATCH: Cruz Slams Mayorkas for Answer on Released Illegal Immigrants: ‘I Believe That Testimony is False.’
On the historically high level of illegal immigration under the Biden administration, Sen. Cruz asked:
“Secretary Mayorkas, you testified several times that our immigration system is, ‘fundamentally broken.’ True or false—under President Trump, we saw the lowest rate of illegal immigration in 45 years?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“I don’t know if it’s within 45 years, but we certainly saw in 2020 a low level of illegal immigration. 2019 was very high.”
Sen. Cruz continued:
“Okay, true or false Secretary Mayorkas, this year under Joe Biden, we’ve seen the highest rate of illegal immigration in 61 years?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“Again, I don’t know the number of years, but it’s certainly a historic high, Senator.”
Sen. Cruz continued:
“So you’re right, it’s broken—but you broke it.”
On how many illegal immigrants evaded Customs and Border Protection upon release, Sen. Cruz asked:
“Now, you told another senator, you don’t know how many ‘got-aways’ there have been?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“I will have to circle back, Senator, with that information.”
Sen. Cruz continued:
“So that wasn’t a fact that you thought was relevant to this hearing?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“Oh, it is absolutely relevant. I understand why the question is posed. It’s a fact of great—”
Sen. Cruz continued:
“But you’re not prepared to answer it. How about this, how many deaths? How many illegal aliens have died crossing illegally into the United States under Joe Biden’s administration?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“I don’t have that data.”
On the amount of unaccompanied minors in the Biden border cages, Sen. Cruz asked:
“How many children have been in the Biden cages? I’ve been to the Biden cages. I’ve seen the Biden cages. How many children have you detained at the Donna tent facility and the cages you built to hold kids? How many children have been in those cages?”
[…]
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“Respectfully, I’m not familiar with the term cages and to what you’re referring.”
Sen. Cruz continued:
“Enclosures in which they are locked in, in which I took photographs and put them out because you blocked the press and didn’t want people to see the Biden cages. The secure facilities in which they are locked down in Donna. At those facilities—how many children have been in them?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“Senator, there are three types of facilities there’s—”
[…]
Sen. Cruz continued:
“Okay are you going to answer the question? How many children have been in that facility?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“I will have to circle back with you with the precise number.”
[…]
Sen. Cruz continued:
“Children sleeping on floors, crashed in upon each other. When I took this photograph, the rate of COVID positivity was over 10 percent.”
On whether President Biden has traveled to see firsthand his border crisis, Sen. Cruz asked:
“Okay, Secretary Mayorkas, you’re not answering my question. So let me ask you this: In the past year, has Joe Biden been down to see firsthand the Biden cages? Has Joe Biden been down to see this facility? Yes or no?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“The President has not been down to the border.”
Sen. Cruz continued:
“Okay, no. Has Kamala Harris been down to see the Biden cages this facility? Yes or no?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“The Vice President was at the border.”
Sen. Cruz continued:
“Has she been down to see this facility? I know she went to El Paso, has she seen the Biden cages?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“They are not cages.”
Sen. Cruz continued:
“What are these walls? Has Kamala Harris seen them? Yes or no? It’s a simple question. Yes or no. We didn’t need a paragraph. Yes or no, has Kamala Harris been down to see these detention facilities?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“She has not been.”
On the dangerous human trafficking that has been incentivized by the Biden administration’s immigration policies, Sen. Cruz asked:
“How many women have been sexually assaulted being trafficked into this country in 2021?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“Senator, I have no ability to determine how many—”
[…]
Sen. Cruz continued:
“Alright, how about this? How many children had been sexually assaulted by traffickers or other people when they were coming in illegally?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“I do not have that data.”
On the rate of COVID-positivity in illegal immigrants, Sen. Cruz asked:
“How many illegal immigrants have you released into the United States who were COVID-positive?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“Senator, it is our policy to test individually.”
Sen. Cruz continued:
“I didn’t ask your policy. How many illegal aliens have you released to our COVID-positive?”
[…]
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“I will have to get that number.”
On the Biden administration’s refusal to uphold the successful ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy, Sen. Cruz asked:
“Senior Customs and Border Patrol agent leadership have told me that your agency is slow-walking and refusing to comply with the order from the federal court to return to the ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy. What would you say to the judge if the judge was asking why you should not be held in contempt and incarcerated for defying a federal court order?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“It is because we are implementing the court’s order in good faith. We are working with Mexico. It requires a bilateral relationship and an agreement. And I should also add—”
Sen. Cruz continued:
“Have you or any one of your staff expressed to Mexico you resist going back to this agreement?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“No.”
On reports that the Biden administration proposed paying illegal immigrants, Sen. Cruz asked:
“Do you think it is a good idea to pay illegal immigrants four and a half times what we pay the family of a service member who’s killed in combat? And if we pay millions of dollars to illegal immigrants, in your professional judgment, will we get more illegal immigration or less illegal immigration?”
[…]
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“I do not think that it would be a pull factor.”
Sen. Cruz continued:
“I said, is it a good idea to pay them the money and would you get more illegal immigration or less illegal immigration if you give millions of dollars to illegal immigrants?”
Sec. Mayorkas responded:
“I cannot speak to the advisability of settling Federal Tort Claims Act in which I am not involved, but—”
Sen. Cruz concluded:
“You have no view on whether paying illegal immigrants millions of dollars creates more illegal immigration?”
###
