Thread: Congressional committee to hold hearing in McAllen about immigration crisis

Congressional committee to hold hearing in McAllen about immigration crisis by Action 4 News Staff Posted: 06.26.2014 at 12:08 PM

The congressional debate about the immigration crisis at the border is coming to the Rio Grande Valley. The U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee will hold a field hearing in McAllen on Thursday, July 3rd about the surge of unaccompanied minors. Over the past few months, U.S. Border Patrol agents have detained a record number of women and children from Central America. The numbers of immigrants and children is so large that man are calling it a "humanitarian crisis." The hearing will be held at the Southe Texas College campus off Military Highway and will examine the impacts of and response to the growing trend of unaccompanied children crossing the U.S./Mexico border. Texas Governor Rick Perry will testify and the findings will be included with the efforts of the Congressional working group established to investigate this crisis. Other witnesses include Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) director Steve McGraw and Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol Chief Kevin Oaks. Brownsville-based Congressman Filemon Vela is one of 28 members of the committee. Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) reported that more than 50,000 unaccompanied minors have crossed border since October. Nearly two thirds of those crossed into the United States through the Valley. "DHS is not adequately prepared to address this crisis, which has left State and local officials to fill a void left by the Federal government," McCaul said. "Next week, the Committee will hold a hearing in Texas to examine the impact of and response to this massive flow of unaccompanied children. We will receive first-hand accounts from Governor Perry and other witnesses, which will be incorporated into the findings of the Congressional working group established to address this problem.” The committee will be providing a LIVE VIDEO feed of the hearing. RELATED LINKS Nancy Pelosi to visit Valley amid ongoing immigration crisis Texas Governor says border is being overrun by undocumented immigrants CBP Official: False rumors source of immigration crisis http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=1062796

Jul. 2, 2014 9:30am Pete Kasperowicz
The Blaze


Gov. Rick Perry will testify Thursday before a House committee on the immigration crisis at the southern U.S. border. (AP Photo/Rex C. Curry)

Texas Governor Rick Perry (R) and others will testify Thursday on the border crisis, at a House field hearing held just a few miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.

Both Republicans and Democrats have used the July 4 recess to travel to the border and assess the situation, which both sides are now calling a humanitarian crisis.

Members of the House Homeland Security Committee are in Texas this week, and Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) will hold a hearing Thursday afternoon to gauge how officials have dealt with thousands of unaccompanied minors who have crossed the border so far this year.

“Since October, more than 50,000 unaccompanied minors have crossed into the United States from Mexico – nearly two thirds of those crossed through the Rio Grande Valley in Texas,” he said. “DHS is not adequately prepared to address this crisis, which has left state and local officials to fill a void left by the Federal government.”

McCaul said the Perry’s testimony would help inform the House’s findings as it investigates the crisis and considers legislation in response.

Congress may ultimately consider legislation that would allow border officials to immediately deport children from countries that don’t border the United States. President Barack Obama has asked members to consider such a bill, to allow border officials to immediately deport children from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

Earlier this week, several House Republicans proposed legislation that would shut off all foreign aid to El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico until they take steps to stop unaccompanied minors from trying to cross into the United States.

In addition to Perry, the committee will hear from Border Patrol Agent Kevin Oaks, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw, as well as a Texas sheriff and a Texas judge.

http://www.theblaze.com/blog/2014/07...border-crisis/