Duval Times

Senator Rick Scott has joined Senator Chuck Grassley and 42 other Republican colleagues in urging President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to address alleged abuses within the administration’s unaccompanied migrant children program. The group has expressed concerns over the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) failing to comply with two out of three Department of Homeland Security (DHS) subpoenas and other information requests.

According to the lawmakers, more than 500,000 unaccompanied migrant children have crossed the southwest border under the current administration, coinciding with a significant increase in cartel trafficking activity. They claim that background checks for sponsors of unaccompanied children have been limited, familial DNA testing at the border reduced, and information sharing with law enforcement decreased.

The letter calls on Biden and Harris to "make changes to [their] policies and procedures" to "end this public safety crisis." Specifically, it urges enhanced information sharing with law enforcement and Congress, full cooperation with DHS’s child exploitation investigation, and thorough responses to congressional oversight requests.

The lawmakers concluded that HHS must "stop its cover-up and cooperate with law enforcement and Congress to end this crisis and protect unaccompanied children and the American people."

The letter was co-signed by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Kennedy (R-La.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kans.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Katie Britt(R-Ala.)and Pete Ricketts(R-Neb.).

Additional co-signers from the House include Representatives Tom McLintock(R-Ca.)Matt Gaetz(R-Fla.)Andy Biggs(R-Ariz.)Chip Roy(R-Texas)Dan Bishop(R-N.C.)Scott Fitzgerald(R-Wis.)Cliff Bentz(R-Ore.)Ben Cline(R-Va.)Barry Moore(R-Ala.)Russell Fry(R-S.C.)Harriet Hageman(R-Wyo.)Wesley Hunt(R-Texas)Laurel Lee(R-Fla.)and Michael Rulli(R-Ohio).

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