Alejandro Mayorkas Points Out To Carlos Gimenez Covid-19 Slowed Migration During Trump's Last Year

6 months ago

At a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Tuesday, Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas spoke to Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) spoke about the southern border.

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Transcript

00:00 I now recognize Mr. Jimenez, the gentleman from Florida, the chair of the Transportation

00:05 Maritime Security Subcommittee.

00:06 There's five minutes.

00:08 Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

00:09 And I find it amazing that our Democrat colleagues from across the aisle are always throwing

00:14 money at the issue.

00:16 Always it's money, money, money, money, except that the real culprit here has been over 64

00:22 actions taken by the executive branch that actually caused the problem at the border.

00:28 Not once have I ever heard any of my Democrat colleagues ask for why don't we start constructing

00:34 the wall again?

00:35 Why don't we reinstitute remain in Mexico policy, which actually will take care of about

00:40 70 percent of the problem that we've had.

00:42 Mr. Mayorkas, I believe that in fiscal year '21 we had a record number of encounters at

00:47 the border, and I think only surpassed by fiscal year '22 when we had another record

00:52 encounter at the border, and then surpassed again in 2023 when we had another record for

00:57 encounters at the border.

00:58 Do you expect another record in 2024?

01:00 Congressman, I strongly encourage Congress to pass the Senate's bipartisan legislation,

01:07 which would make a significant difference and advance our security interests at the

01:11 southern border and the northern border.

01:14 Have you ever asked the president to reconsider some of his 64 actions that have led to the

01:19 crisis that we have right now at the border?

01:22 Congressman, we are facing the largest displacement of people around the world, including in our

01:29 hemisphere.

01:30 Have you ever asked the president of the United States to reconsider any of the 64 executive

01:35 actions that he has taken to address the crisis at the border?

01:40 Congressman, I am not familiar with the 64 to which you refer, and I assure you that

01:47 they are not the cause of the largest displacement of people in the world, including in our

01:52 hemisphere, and to include, of course, a number of people, a significant number of people

01:58 fleeing the authoritarian regime in Cuba, which both you and I have personally experienced.

02:03 I think that authoritarian regime has been in place for about 60 years, and so it doesn't

02:11 make sense to me that somehow now, okay, they're all fleeing the authoritarian regime in Cuba.

02:16 You and I both left that authoritarian regime a long time ago.

02:19 So again, are you familiar with the president's executive order to stop the construction of

02:28 the wall on the southern border?

02:30 I most certainly am.

02:32 Have you advised him that maybe it's a good idea to start construction again on the southern

02:36 wall, on the wall on the southern border to stop the flow of illegal immigration?

02:41 Congressman, I do not believe it is.

02:44 Okay.

02:45 Thank you.

02:46 I mean, I only have certain times.

02:47 So thank you.

02:48 You said no.

02:49 Have you ever talked to the president about reinstituting remain in Mexico policy, which

02:53 many, many experts have said probably will take care of 70% of the problem.

02:59 Have you ever talked to him about that?

03:01 Congressman, the remain in Mexico program was implemented in January of 2019, I believe.

03:10 I believe in 2019, the number of encounters at the southern border exceeded those in 2018

03:19 by almost 100%.

03:21 If I have my data, correct.

03:22 Yeah, but the number of encounters in 2020 were far less than the number of encounters

03:27 in 2021.

03:29 Would you say that's correct?

03:30 Congressman, if you'll recall what occurred in 2020, two points.

03:35 Number one, the COVID-19 pandemic.

03:39 Number two, remain in Mexico.

03:41 In order to implement it, we rely upon the sovereign nation of Mexico's agreement.

03:47 Mexico has unequivocally stated it will not support any implementation of remain in Mexico,

03:54 the success of which is quite dubious.

03:58 Interesting point.

03:59 The only reason they won't support a, they did support the remain in Mexico policy and

04:04 then you unilaterally withdrew it.

04:07 It wasn't because of Mexico asking you to stop it.

04:10 You just did it.

04:11 All right.

04:12 So I only have about 56 seconds left.

04:15 We're currently witnessing total chaos and disorder in Haiti.

04:18 The US has already begun to evacuate citizen is collaborating with regional partners to

04:23 address the violence.

04:24 Is the United States patrolling or admitting Haitians into the state of Florida and elsewhere

04:29 that have not received a viable background check?

04:32 Congressman, we screen and vet individuals before paroling them into the United States.

04:40 Thank you.

04:41 And I yield my time back.

Alejandro Mayorkas Points Out To Carlos Gimenez Covid-19 Slowed Migration During Trump's Last Year

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