Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) issued the following statement after sending a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and other officials within the Administration demanding the immediate termination of their flawed alien smuggling policy and that the Administration respond to pointed questions about the operations:
"I wholeheartedly agree with the Administration that the current situation at our borders is a crisis. But this crisis is self-imposed. The primary crisis is the Administration’s failure to secure the border.
"I demand the Administration immediately terminate this atrocious transfer policy. Furthermore, the Administration should take the necessary steps to secure our border and should take bold measures to discourage this influx of illegal aliens from continuing.
"The Administration's actions jeopardize our national security and embolden the cartels. Those individuals responsible for this violation of the Rule of Law need to be held accountable and I will continue to push for a congressional investigation, and if necessary a criminal investigation, into this matter.
"Furthermore, I call on Secretary Johnson to cite the statutory authority by which DHS is executing these policies and respond to the rest of my questions no later than June 19, 2014."
Background:
To read the letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and other responsible officials Click HERE.
Rep. Gosar called for Attorney General Eric Holder to be impeached as a result of the alien smuggling scandal. Click HERE to read more.
Rep. Gosar sent a letter June 2nd to the appropriate committees in Congress requesting this matter be investigated and raising serious concerns. Click HERE to read more.
During the week on May 26th, 400 detained illegal immigrants were shipped to Arizona. (Confirmed by Andy Adame, Special Operations Supervisor for the Border Patrol in Arizona.)
Arizona Governor Brewer’s Office reported that 432 illegal aliens were transported to Arizona June 6th, and another 734 were shipped on the subsequent Saturday and Sunday.
For nearly three weeks now, the Administration has been implementing a policy where illegal aliens apprehended in Texas are shipped by plane or bus to Arizona utilizing taxpayer money. Officials from DHS confirmed in a subsequent briefing with my staff that at least 7 flights transporting illegal aliens to other states have already occurred at a price of $53,000 per flight.
These actions are inhumane as many women and children are just being dumped in the streets at Greyhound bus stations without food, money, adequate clothing, hygiene products or access to a phone in 100+ degree temperatures.
For the initial dumps there was no Notification to the Governor’s Office, the Arizona Department of Public Safety or the Arizona Department of Homeland Security.
Roughly 1,000 illegal immigrants are apprehended in South Texas each day, according to Adame.
So far this fiscal year, the Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol sector has apprehended more than 140,000 people
After screening, they are being released under supervision and then required to report to a local ICE office near their destination within 15 days. Most will never report.
Putting an illegal alien in a car, bus or plane and transporting them to another location is deemed "alien smuggling" and is a crime. See 8 USC § 1324 (a)(1)(A).
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