Hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee - Opening Statement of Sen. Jacky Rosen, Markup on DHS Nominee

Hearing

Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), voted against Chad Wolf's nomination as Undersecretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Rosen placed a hold on Wolf's nomination to be Undersecretary last month and will maintain the hold until a non-governmental third party certifies that DHS has ended the systematic mistreatment of children at U.S. government processing and detention centers.

"As Secretary Nielsen's Chief of Staff, Chad Wolf played a direct role in the zero-tolerance policy that led to this humanitarian crisis," said Senator Rosen. "His failure to take responsibility during his nomination hearing was both disappointing and disingenuous. I voted against Mr. Wolf's nomination today and, until the conditions at migrant detention centers are drastically improved, I will object to moving his nomination on the floor."

BACKGROUND: Yesterday, Senator Rosen took to the Senate floor to demand immediate action and an end to the inhumane treatment of migrant children at the southern border. Rosen outlined reforms that DHS must make in order to improve conditions for migrants children, which were outlined in a letter she sent to DHS Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan.

Last week, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and 12 of her Senate colleagues, Rosen traveled to McAllen, TX to inspect and evaluate the conditions at border detention facilities. Rosen also sent a letter to HSGAC Chairman Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-MI) requesting that upcoming HSGAC hearings on the border focus on specific issues and solutions for the inhumane treatment of minors at our southern border and that such hearings take place before the Senate adjourns for the August state work period.

In June, Senator Rosen joined her colleagues in sending a letter to Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) requesting a hearing on the health and safety conditions of migrant children arriving at the southern border. Rosen also led 17 of her colleagues in sending a letter to DHS Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan raising concerns about a recent Office of Inspector General report detailing severe and dangerous overcrowding of migrants at El Paso Del Norte Processing Center during unannounced inspections conducted on May 8 and 9, 2019.

In May, Senator Rosen questioned Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan on misleading statements DHS officials made to her and Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) during their 2018 visit to the US-Mexico Border. Senator Rosen and Congressman Carbajal traveled together to Texas to visit a facility housing unaccompanied immigrant minors in Tornillo and U.S. Custom and Border Protection's Paso del Norte Processing Center in El Paso. DHS and HHS personnel assured them that their agencies had the information and resources needed to reunite separated migrant families.

Rosen is a co-sponsor of the Keep Families Together Act, which would ensure that the federal government carries out immigration procedures in the best interest of detained children.

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