FIRST ON FOX: A top House committee is doubling down on its efforts to obtain documents from the Biden administration regarding Vice President Kamala Harris’ involvement in what lawmakers are calling “the worst border crisis in American history.”
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., reached out to acting Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Troy Miller to follow up on a previous request for documents and communications between Harris’ office and CBP.
“It is crucial for the Committee and the American people to comprehend Vice President Harris’s role as the border czar in the ongoing border crisis,” Comer stated in a letter acquired by Fox News Digital.
TOP HOUSE COMMITTEE DEMANDS INTERNAL DOCS ON HARRIS’ ROLE IN BORDER CRISIS: ‘ABJECT FAILURE’
Rep. James Comer speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center on April 30, 2024. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“The mass illegal entry and release of illegal aliens into the United States under the Biden-Harris Administration has contributed to murders, sexual assaults, and serious bodily injuries committed against numerous Americans at the hands of illegal aliens. These crimes should have never happened.”
The letter highlights various crimes recently committed allegedly by illegal immigrants, including one incident involving an MS-13 gang member and a rape in New York City, allegedly by two migrants.
Comer has set a deadline of Oct. 1 for the requested documents after previous follow-ups on Aug. 20 and Sept. 6. He warns of further action if the request is not met.
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“If CBP continues to withhold documents and communications on this matter, the Committee will consider alternative measures to obtain this information, including through the compulsory process,” he states.
The dispute over the documents arises amidst a continuing debate on who is accountable for the border crisis and which presidential candidate is best equipped to address it. Republicans hold the Biden-Harris administration responsible for the crisis, attributing it to the reversal of Trump-era policies and the implementation of what they consider to be “open borders” policies by the current administration.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundations Phoenix Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
They have singled out Harris for her role in addressing the “root causes” of migration, which she was tasked with in 2021. This led to her being labeled the “border czar,” a title the White House rejected.
The Biden administration argues that it is tackling a historic crisis spanning the hemisphere, calling for increased funding and immigration reform from Congress to mend a “broken” system. They highlight a significant decrease in numbers since Biden implemented an executive order limiting arrivals in June.
Officials report a more than 50% decrease in encounters since then, with August encounters being 68% lower than in August 2023.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS
Meanwhile, Harris has criticized former President Trump for not backing bipartisan legislation introduced earlier in the year, which conservatives claimed would regulate high numbers, but supporters argued would enhance border funding and restrict entries into the U.S.
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“Last year, Joe and I brought together Democrats and conservative Republicans to write the strongest border bill in decades. The Border Patrol endorsed it. But Donald Trump believes a border deal would hurt his campaign, so he ordered his allies in Congress to kill the deal. Well, I refuse to play politics with our security, and here is my pledge to you: As president, I will bring back the bipartisan border security bill that he killed, and I will sign it into law,” she stated at the Democratic National Convention last month.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the vice president stated that Republicans “continue to block a bipartisan border security bill supported by the Biden-Harris Administration and a bipartisan group of Senators.”
“This Administration has delivered record border security funding and continues to advocate for sufficient border resources, including deploying advanced fentanyl-detection machines. The Administration’s executive actions have reduced unauthorized crossings to a lower level than when Trump departed office,” stated spokesperson Ernesto Apreza to Fox News Digital. “President Biden and Vice President Harris are taking the lead on border security solutions while congressional Republicans persist in exploiting the issue for political gain.”
