Oversight Republicans Call for Hearing on Biden’s Border Crisis and Child Container Facilities

WASHINGTON—Today, House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) and Committee Republicans sent a letter to Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) expressing concerns over the current crisis occurring at the southern border stemming from President Biden’s open borders policies. Recent reports indicate container facilities holding unaccompanied children are now nearly overflowing and a surge of illegal immigration has become inevitable due to President Biden’s unraveling of the prior administration’s deterrent-focused border policies. The lawmakers are requesting an immediate hearing to examine the Biden Administration’s plan to mitigate this crisis and to conduct oversight of the welfare of migrant children being held in container facilities.  

“The Committee on Oversight and Reform must hold a hearing to examine the current crisis occurring on our southern border,” wrote the Republican lawmakers. “In just one week in February, the Border Patrol stopped more than 2,000 unaccompanied children crossing the southern border. The border facilities holding these migrant children are nearly overflowing. Members of your own party have raised concerns about the Biden Administration perpetuating a policy of housing children in containers—something Democrats renounced during the prior administration.”

In January alone, 5,871 unaccompanied children were apprehended and over 7,000 are currently in custody as shelter space becomes scarce. Oversight Committee Republicans note the Biden Administration is moving to reopen multiple facilities, which are expected to increase capacity for the thousands of unaccompanied minors arriving at the border. 

“This Committee must schedule a hearing to conduct oversight of the welfare of migrant children being held in these container facilities. The Committee should also examine the Biden Administration’s plan for reducing the overall numbers of unaccompanied children arriving illegally at the southern border, as well as its plans for handling the current surge,” the lawmakers concluded. 

Read the letter here.