A top Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives has issued a subpoena to President Joe Biden’s health secretary, Xavier Becerra, demanding records related to the handling of unaccompanied migrant children with suspected criminal ties. House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan sent the subpoena, asking for information about the care and custody of children encountered at the U.S.-Mexico border who have suspected gang ties or are sponsored by U.S. residents with criminal convictions.
Republicans have been critical of the Biden administration’s handling of migration, blaming them for the record numbers of migrants attempting to cross the border illegally. They argue that Biden should not have reversed the restrictive policies implemented by former President Donald Trump. Biden officials, however, argue that migration is a broader challenge and have emphasized their efforts to create a more orderly and humane system.
The subpoena from Jordan to Becerra highlights the committee’s dissatisfaction with the response they have received so far. Jordan states that the committee has requested information on unaccompanied migrant children since June 2023, but the response has been woefully inadequate.
The subpoena specifically demands that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) disclose whether it refers unaccompanied children with suspected gang ties to the Department of Justice. It also calls for the number of serious incident reports filed at HHS-funded shelters in cases involving sexual assault, violence, drug use, or gang activity. Additionally, the subpoena requests the number of approved or denied U.S. sponsor applications by individuals with convictions for child abuse, child pornography, domestic abuse, and murder.
HHS has not yet responded to the request for comment. According to data, out of over 6 million migrant arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border during Biden’s presidency, only 7% were of unaccompanied children.
As Congress remains divided on immigration policy, there are ongoing efforts in the Senate to strike a deal that would combine U.S. border security reforms with military aid for Ukraine’s conflict with Russia.
In summary, House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan has issued a subpoena to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to provide records relating to the treatment of unaccompanied migrant children with suspected criminal ties. Republicans blame the Biden administration for the surge in illegal border crossings and argue that reversing Trump’s policies was a mistake. Biden officials maintain that migration is a broader challenge and defend their efforts to create a more orderly system. The subpoena demands further information on the care of these children and how the government handles suspected gang ties and individuals with criminal convictions.
