House Panel Issues Subpoenas; Concerns Rise Over Missing Migrant Children

At a Glance

The House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena for information on Vice President Kamala Harris’ role as “border czar” concerning unaccompanied migrant children.
Chairman Jim Jordan subpoenaed HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra over claims that the Biden administration lost track of thousands of unaccompanied children.
Over 145,000 unaccompanied alien children have lost contact with HHS after being placed with sponsors.
Republicans blame the Biden administration for the increase in illegal border crossings, criticizing the reversal of Trump-era policies.

Subpoena Issued to VP Harris and HHS

The House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed Vice President Kamala Harris and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra. The complaint centers on concerns over missing migrant children and their treatment after discharge from federal custody. Lawmakers are demanding transparency and accountability from the government to ensure the safety and well-being of these vulnerable children.

The committee has specifically targeted Harris due to her role as the Biden Administration’s “border czar.” Committee Chairman Jim Jordan led the efforts, launching a thorough investigation into claims that the Biden administration has lost track of thousands of unaccompanied children. According to the committee’s estimates, over 145,000 unaccompanied alien children have lost contact with HHS after being placed with sponsors, many of whom include illegal aliens.

The Biden Administration has lost track of at least 85,000 unaccompanied alien children.

We issued a subpoena to Health and Human Services Secretary Becerra for relevant documents and information about these children.

To date, HHS’s compliance with the subpoena is insufficient.…

— House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) May 24, 2024

Persistent Oversight and Accountability Issues

Jim Jordan has accused HHS of obstructing the committee’s oversight. Jordan emphasized that the Biden administration has been uncooperative, saying, “HHS has known about the Committee’s specific request and subpoena for more than six months and appears to possess responsive documents and information.” The committee is not only concerned with the unaccompanied minors who have lost contact but also with the general trends in illegal border crossings.

Jordan and his colleagues have repeatedly criticized the Biden administration’s policies, which they believe have led to a surge in illegal crossings. The committee has planned two hearings on the “Biden-Harris Border Crisis,” one in California and another in Washington, D.C. They aim to question how the administration is handling the influx and the mechanisms in place to protect these children.

House Panel Subpoenas Harris, HHS Over Lost Migrant Children https://t.co/2rVovM3ucK

— Carrie Hartwig (@CarrieMyHart) September 6, 2024

Questionable Handling of Unaccompanied Minors

The committee is also scrutinizing the care and custody of unaccompanied migrant children with suspected gang ties or who are sponsored by individuals with criminal backgrounds. Reports indicate that the administration’s lax policies have inadvertently provided fertile ground for exploitation and criminal activities. This approach has come under fire from various quarters, including Sen. Chuck Grassley, who has a long history of oversight on federal care for unaccompanied minors.

Grassley’s oversight follows an August 19, 2024 watchdog report revealing that DHS has not accounted for all UCs released to sponsors, scheduled court appearances, or attempted to locate those who missed proceedings. Grassley criticized the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) for lax vetting, which endangers children and complicates their tracking.

Longstanding Concerns and Broader Political Implications

The Judiciary Committee has highlighted various tragic cases, such as an unaccompanied minor from El Salvador charged with sexual assault and murder in Maryland. The committee has also pointed out the administration’s continuous failure to protect these children, showcasing ICE’s shortcomings in issuing court appearance notices for 65% of UCs transferred from DHS custody between FYs 2019 and 2023.

Over 32,000 unaccompanied children who received court appearance notices did not appear in court between FYs 2019 and 2023. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Inspector General’s Management Alert criticized the Biden-Harris administration for losing track of up to several hundred thousand illegal immigrant children. This issue is intricately linked to broader political implications, particularly as Republicans ramp up efforts to scrutinize Vice President Harris’ record ahead of the November election.