Restoring Immigration Enforcement in America

Immigration Enforcement and Sanctuary PoliciesHouse Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement · January 22, 2025 · 119th Congress
This hearing, held the day after President Trump's inauguration, examined the state of immigration enforcement following the Biden administration and the new executive orders Trump had just signed on border security, parole, and Birthright citizenship. Begins at ▶ 0:18:01
Transcript
Highlights

Title

Reviewing Biden-era immigration enforcement and Trump's new executive orders

Purpose

This hearing, held the day after President Trump's inauguration, examined the state of immigration enforcement following the Biden administration and the new executive orders Trump had just signed on border security, parole, and Birthright citizenship. Four witnesses — a former ICE field office director, and policy analysts from the Heritage Foundation-affiliated Immigration Accountability Project, the Cato Institute, and the Center for Immigration Studies — testified on sanctuary policies, asylum abuse, parole programs, and enforcement priorities. The hearing was also marked by sharp partisan disagreement over the pardons Trump issued for January 6 defendants and over whether border security improved or worsened under President Biden. Begins at▶ 0:18:01

Who spoke

• Chairman Mark Harris (implied chairman, referred to as "mcclintalk"/chairman throughout)▶ 0:18:01: Opened by welcoming new members, framed the hearing around ending "the largest illegal Mass migration in history"▶ 0:20:33, cited 6 million illegal entrants and 1.4 million defying removal orders▶ 0:24:05, and closed by pressing witnesses on asylum, sanctuary policy, and TPS/parole reform▶ 2:55:08.

• Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), acting ranking member▶ 0:19:32: Introduced new Democratic members, argued the asylum system broke down because Congress never funded enough detention capacity▶ 1:08:03, discussed 8 U.S.C. §208(a)'s broad asylum-eligibility language▶ 1:08:34, and pressed Bier on the 14th Amendment and §212(f)▶ 1:09:04.

• Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), House Judiciary ranking member▶ 0:32:40: Condemned Trump's pardon of roughly 1,500 January 6 defendants, including Julian Khater who assaulted Officer Brian Sicknick▶ 0:33:10, noted the 2013 Senate bill killed by House Republicans and the 2024 Langford border deal "tanked" by Trump and House Republicans▶ 0:35:12, and argued the 14th Amendment executive order would move the U.S. from citizenship based on place to citizenship based on race▶ 0:37:12.

• Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), House Judiciary chairman▶ 0:31:09: Said the Biden administration's day-one decisions — no wall, no Remain in Mexico, no detention — caused mass migration, and framed the hearing as building the case for funding Trump's executive orders via reconciliation▶ 0:32:10.

• John Fabbricatore, former ICE field office director (Denver)▶ 0:41:44: Testified sanctuary policies shield criminal aliens, citing a Venezuelan Tren de Aragua member who raped a 14-year-old after being released without an ICE notification▶ 0:42:45, and cited nearly 7.8 million on ICE's non-detained docket including 13,000 convicted murderers▶ 0:44:16; later described witnessing Tren de Aragua activity firsthand in Aurora, Colorado apartment complexes▶ 0:43:15▶ 1:38:20.

• Grant Newman, Director of Government Relations, Immigration Accountability Project▶ 0:46:47: Said CBP encountered nearly 11 million inadmissible aliens under Biden versus about 3 million under Trump's first term▶ 0:46:47, detailed the CHNV parole program admitting over 531,000 people and the CBP One app processing over 936,000▶ 0:47:17, and urged funding ICE and E-Verify along with passing HR2▶ 0:50:49.

• David Bier, Director of Immigration Studies, Cato Institute▶ 0:51:19: Argued Trump's first term cut legal immigration by up to 80% and released twice as many convicted criminals as Biden▶ 0:51:50, said Biden's expanded lawful pathways reduced illegal crossings 33% and criminal crossings 57% in his final months versus Trump's▶ 0:54:53, and warned Trump's new executive orders on the 14th Amendment and the Alien Enemies Act are unconstitutional▶ 0:55:23▶ 1:53:00.

• Jessica Vaught, Director of Policy Studies, Center for Immigration Studies▶ 0:56:55: Highlighted fraud in visa/benefit programs, citing over 565,000 visa overstays in 2023▶ 0:59:28, and said programs like OPT, U-visas, and Special Immigrant Juvenile status have ballooned to cover 1.5–2 million people with little oversight▶ 1:00:28.

• Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ)▶ 1:01:29: Argued mass migration resulted from Biden's open-border policies, not a "broken" system, and questioned Fabbricatore on how detention functions as a deterrent to illegal entry▶ 1:05:02.

• Rep. Randy Fine / Tiffany (R-WI)▶ 1:12:37: Questioned Vaught on recalcitrant countries (Cuba, Venezuela, China, India, Bangladesh, Iran) refusing deportee returns▶ 1:13:37 and Newman on NGOs like the International Organization for Migration receiving "tens of millions" in taxpayer funds▶ 1:16:10.

• Rep. Jamie Raskin follow-up / Rep. Rin (D)▶ 1:17:41: Pressed Bier on the economic impact of deporting 12 million people, citing a potential $2 trillion GDP hit▶ 1:20:12, and on Trump's pardons of violent January 6 defendants▶ 1:21:43.

• Rep. Jim Jordan Q&A round▶ 1:23:14: Asked Newman, Fabbricatore, and Vaught in turn whether the Biden administration improved immigration enforcement; all three said no▶ 1:23:14.

• Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), referenced as "Miss count"▶ 1:28:15: Criticized Trump's 200+ executive actions as "political posturing," citing the halted resettlement of vetted Afghan allies and the elimination of CBP One appointments▶ 1:29:16.

• Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)▶ 1:33:48: Recounted the murder of Alexis Nungaray's daughter Joselyn by Tren de Aragua members released by the Biden administration▶ 1:34:18, and had Newman and Vaught confirm HR2's provisions and reject the 2024 Senate border bill▶ 1:36:19.

• Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC)▶ 1:39:50: Argued enforcement alone won't fix immigration, citing $49 billion spent on DHS enforcement since 2003 with no fix▶ 1:42:53, and highlighted labor needs in North Carolina agriculture, food service, and construction▶ 1:41:22.

• Rep. Van Drew (R-NJ)▶ 1:44:24: Sharply challenged Bier's testimony, invoked Laken Riley's killing as evidence of consequences of Biden's policies▶ 1:46:25, and cited about 10 million CBP encounters under Biden versus a third of that under Trump▶ 1:47:26.

• Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA)▶ 1:49:58: Asked Bier about the Laken Riley Act's provision letting state attorneys general sue DHS, which Bier said could force visa cutoffs to countries like India and China and slash legal immigration▶ 1:50:59; also discussed the Alien Enemies Act's due-process implications▶ 1:52:30.

• Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL)▶ 1:55:32: Described a 14-year-old rape victim in his district assaulted by an unvetted migrant who falsely claimed to be a minor▶ 1:56:02, and cited hospitals running out of car seats for migrant births in Yuma, Arizona▶ 1:58:03.

• Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX)▶ 2:00:34: Played a "rhetoric versus reality" exchange with Bier establishing immigrants have lower per-capita crime rates and pay nearly $100 billion in taxes▶ 2:02:36, and noted mass shooters in Buffalo, Charleston, and El Paso were U.S.-born citizens, not immigrants▶ 2:04:39.

• Rep. Harriet Hageman / "Grman" (R)▶ 2:05:39: Discussed the 14th Amendment's post-Civil War origins with Bier and raised concerns about unaccompanied children crossing with one parent absent custody verification▶ 2:06:09.

• Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN)▶ 2:11:12: Questioned Bier on the Laken Riley Act's mandatory detention standard for mere arrests versus convictions▶ 2:11:12, and criticized the impracticality of deporting long-resident, law-abiding undocumented immigrants▶ 2:12:43.

• Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC)▶ 2:16:15: Cited a DHS letter reporting nearly 650,000 criminal illegal aliens on ICE's non-detained docket, including 15,000 homicide and 20,000 sexual assault cases▶ 2:17:15, and ran a rapid-fire Q&A with all three Republican-aligned witnesses confirming Biden policy reversals would reduce illegal immigration▶ 2:17:46.

• Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX)▶ 2:48:34: Argued Democrats benefit politically from illegal immigration via congressional apportionment, citing Chuck Schumer's "path to citizenship" comment▶ 2:51:05, and had Vaught detail programs (OPT, U/T visas, TPS) providing pathways to status for roughly 2 million people▶ 2:52:05.

• Rep. Derek Schmidt (R-KS)▶ 2:43:30: Recounted specific Kansas prosecutions of illegal aliens for violent crimes, including a fatal DUI and a child rape▶ 2:44:00, and asked Fabbricatore about expanding federal-state law enforcement and prosecutorial cooperation▶ 2:47:33.

• Rep. Brad Knott (referenced as "not")▶ 2:34:57: A former federal prosecutor, described DOJ deprioritizing illegal re-entry prosecutions after 2021▶ 2:33:26 and questioned Vaught and Newman on cartel exploitation of open-border policies, citing roughly $13 billion in annual cartel revenue▶ 2:36:28.

Key moments

• Fabbricatore testified nearly 7.8 million illegal aliens are on ICE's non-detained docket, including 1.4 million with final removal orders and 13,000 convicted murderers▶ 0:44:16.

• Newman said Biden-era categorical parole programs (CHNV) admitted more than 531,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela by air, while the CBP One app processed over 936,000 more▶ 0:47:17▶ 0:47:48.

• Bier and Republican members clashed directly over whether the Biden administration improved the border: Bier said unlawful crossings fell 33% and criminal crossings 57% in Biden's final months versus Trump's▶ 0:54:53, while Jordan, Newman, Fabbricatore, and Vaught all said the system got worse under Biden▶ 1:23:14.

• Raskin and Roy sparred over the January 6 pardons: Raskin cited Officer Brian Sicknick's death after being assaulted by pardoned rioter Julian Khater▶ 0:33:10, while Van Drew and Roy invoked victims Laken Riley, Jocelyn Nungaray, and Rachel Morin as reasons enforcement matters more than pardoned rioters▶ 1:46:25▶ 2:29:23.

• Bier warned the 14th Amendment executive order would force every American parent to newly prove citizenship for a newborn, with no passport accepted as sufficient proof▶ 2:25:21.

• Bier said the Laken Riley Act would let state attorneys general force the Secretary of State to cut off visas to countries like India, China, Cuba, and Venezuela over deportation delays, effectively transferring immigration authority from the executive to the courts▶ 1:51:29▶ 1:52:00.

• Vaught said cartels earn roughly $13 billion a year exploiting border loopholes, often trapping migrants in debt-bondage arrangements to pay off smuggling fees▶ 2:36:28▶ 2:36:58.

• Crockett entered evidence that undocumented immigrants have lower offending rates than U.S.-born citizens and paid nearly $100 billion in taxes, challenging Republican crime narratives▶ 2:02:36▶ 2:03:08.

• Lofgren and Bier discussed §212(f) versus §208(a): Bier said §212(f) (entry limits) cannot override §208(a)'s asylum-application right for anyone physically present in the U.S., regardless of manner of entry▶ 1:09:35▶ 1:10:05.

• Vaught testified OPT, U-visa, T-visa, and TPS programs collectively cover an estimated 1.5–2 million people with a path toward green cards and citizenship, calling this "status laundering"▶ 1:00:28▶ 2:53:06.

Metadata

CommitteeHouse Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement
Chamber / CongressHouse · 119th Congress
DateJanuary 22, 2025
TypeHearing
Witnesses
Mr. John Fabbricatore — Visiting Fellow
Mr. David Bier — Director of Immigration Studies
Mr. Grant Newman — Director of Government Relations
Ms. Jessica Vaughan — Director of Policy Studies
Videoyoutube
Transcript323 caption blocks · 26,371 words · 2:59:48 runtime
EventCongress.gov 117827