Palmetto State News

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and 19 of their colleagues in sending an oversight letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Attorney General Merrick Garland. The letter questions the administration’s dismissal of asylum cases and highlights the potential impact on the U.S. legal immigration system.

The senators seek transparency and accountability, requesting detailed responses regarding the administration’s handling of immigration and border security. They raised several questions about the actions taken, including the accuracy of reported figures, justification for the increase in dismissals, and measures to prevent this policy from incentivizing illegal immigration and compromising national security.

The letter criticizes President Biden's approach as "too little, too late," arguing that it implicitly admits the administration has the authority to correct the issue. "This administration’s approach has consistently downplayed the severity of the border crisis, initially denying its existence, then reluctantly acknowledging it, and now attempting to address it through inadequate measures," wrote the senators.

They further stated, "The repeated failures in border management under your leadership have led to an unprecedented backlog of 3.5 million asylum cases, posing a substantial burden on our immigration system and increasing the risk of criminal activities by illegal aliens."

"The American people deserve transparency and accountability regarding the administration’s handling of immigration and border security," concluded the senators. "The current state of affairs at our southern border is unacceptable and demands immediate and effective solutions. We urge you to provide a comprehensive response to these questions and outline a clear plan to restore the integrity of our immigration system."

Additional cosigners include U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Ind.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Dan Sullivan (R-Ark.), Mike Crapo (R-Ind.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).