House Panel Issues Subpoenas: VP Harris and HHS in Heated Inquiry

The House Judiciary Committee has issued subpoenas to Vice President Kamala Harris and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address the alarming situation of missing migrant children.

At a Glance

The House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena for information on Vice President Kamala Harris’ role as “border czar” concerning unaccompanied migrant children.
Chairman Jim Jordan subpoenaed HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra over claims that the Biden administration lost track of thousands of unaccompanied children.
The committee estimates that over 145,000 unaccompanied alien children have lost contact with HHS after being placed with sponsors, including illegal aliens. Jordan requested documents showing the number of unaccompanied children HHS has been unable to contact through Safety and Well-being Calls.

House Judiciary Committee Seeks Accountability

The House Judiciary Committee has issued a subpoena for information on Vice President Kamala Harris’ role as “border czar” and her efforts regarding unaccompanied migrant children. As concerns about the safety and well-being of these children grow, the committee is demanding transparency and accountability from Harris and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has also subpoenaed HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra over the Biden administration’s handling of the situation. Estimates indicate that over 145,000 unaccompanied alien children have lost contact with HHS after being placed with sponsors, some of whom are illegal aliens. Jordan has requested documents showing the number of unaccompanied children HHS has been unable to contact through their Safety and Well-being Calls.

The Biden Administration has lost track of at least 85,000 unaccompanied alien children.

We issued a subpoena to Health and Human Services Secretary Becerra for relevant documents and information about these children.

To date, HHS’s compliance with the subpoena is insufficient.…

— House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) May 24, 2024

Broader Republican Efforts and Accusations

Beyond these subpoenas, Republicans are intensifying their scrutiny on Vice President Harris’ record ahead of the November election. These efforts include plans for two hearings on the “Biden-Harris Border Crisis,” set to take place in California and Washington, D.C. A top Republican in the House of Representatives has also subpoenaed President Joe Biden’s health secretary for records related to unaccompanied migrant children with suspected criminal ties or those sponsored by U.S. residents with criminal convictions.

“The House Judiciary Committee sent a subpoena for information on Vice President Kamala Harris’ efforts in her capacity as ‘border czar’ amid concerns about unaccompanied migrant children.”

The Judiciary Committee has highlighted a troubling case involving an unaccompanied minor from El Salvador who was charged with sexual assault and murder in Maryland. Meanwhile, studies show no widespread criminality among unaccompanied children; immigrants are less likely to commit felony crimes than native-born Americans and legal immigrants.

House Panel Subpoenas Harris, HHS Over Lost Migrant Children https://t.co/2rVovM3ucK

— Carrie Hartwig (@CarrieMyHart) September 6, 2024

Grassley’s Oversight and Criticisms

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley is also pressing HHS and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for answers about their failures to protect over 291,000 unaccompanied migrant children. His oversight follows an August 19, 2024, watchdog report revealing that DHS has not accounted for all unaccompanied children released to sponsors, scheduled at court appearances, or attempted to locate those who missed proceedings.

“[A]lthough HHS claims to be unaware of the information that the Committee is seeking, HHS has known about the Committee’s specific request and subpoena for more than six months and appears to possess responsive documents and information,” Jordan wrote. “Indeed, in calls with Committee staff, HHS has acknowledged it understands the Committee’s requests.”

The Judiciary Committee continues to demand HHS disclose referrals of unaccompanied children with suspected gang ties to the Department of Justice and the number of serious incident reports in HHS-funded shelters. The failure of ICE to issue court appearance notices for 65% of unaccompanied children transferred from DHS custody between fiscal years 2019 and 2023 further complicates efforts to ensure the safety and accountability of these vulnerable minors.