Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. NEHLS. Mr. Chair, my amendment would prohibit funds for the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at the Department of Homeland Security.

Under Joe Biden, the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at the Department of Homeland Security, also known as CRCL, has become a corrupt, woke, and anti-ICE component of DHS.

The CRCL is responsible for advancing equity at the DHS. As part of this principle, DHS created its first-ever equity task force in 2021. One of the task force's so-called accomplishments was reversing the public charge. I call it public disaster.

President Donald J. Trump rightfully defined ``public charge'' as an immigrant who receives one or more designated public benefits for more than 12 months within a 36-month period. He rightfully included food stamps, housing vouchers, and Medicaid as benefits that would disqualify an immigrant from receiving a green card.

Trump's rule protected the American taxpayer and put Americans first. Joe Biden and his woke CRCL continue to put Americans last.

Under Joe Biden, through the CRCL, his administration has made it easier for illegal aliens to receive Federal benefits at the expense of hard-earned tax dollars.

The CRCL said President Trump's rule ``had a chilling effect on immigrants of color and individuals with disabilities with respect to their willingness to seek any form of assistance from the Federal Government.'' This decision, folks, had nothing to do with skin color or disabilities.

It is clear that DHS's Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties is catering to these immigrants in an attempt to get their votes. To me, it is criminal.

Perhaps even more troubling, bureaucrats at the CRCL have deep ties to the abolish ICE movement, which seeks to stop deportation of illegal aliens. In fact, CRCL chief Shoba Wadhia has led the charge with pro- open border and anti-enforcement activities for years. She even advocated to take away funds from ICE and CBP.

Prior to joining CRCL, she also suggested that even the most violent illegal alien felons should not be deported. Let me say that again. The chief of CRCL at DHS doesn't believe that violent illegal aliens, felons, should be deported. Tell me how that makes sense.

Let me be clear. Someone who immigrates illegally is an illegal alien. Ms. Wadhia advocates against using the term ``illegal immigrant'' and suggests using the term ``noncitizens'' or ``migrants'' instead.

Ms. Wadhia has no business leading this office.

Other CRCL policy advisers have also directly supported the abolish ICE movement or worked with other organizations that have. These people are not concerned with defending our homeland.

I remind my colleagues on the left that DHS has a vital mission to ensure a safe, secure, and prosperous homeland. It is abundantly clear that the DHS Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties is doing the exact opposite. We must defund this woke, corrupt, anti-ICE office within the DHS.

Mr. Chair, I urge all of my colleagues to support my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. NEHLS. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. NEHLS. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
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Mr. NEHLS. Mr. Chair, my amendment reduces the salary of Jonathan Davidson, the chief of staff of the Department of Homeland Security, to $1.

His salary last year was $158,500. With his new role, it will be at least $180,000. $180,000 for this guy, and he does nothing.

In a short stint in his role, he has completely failed in upholding his mission, a complete dereliction of duty under his leadership at DHS with the invasion that is currently happening at our southern border.

Just in his first month on the job, there were over 232,000 enforcement encounters at the southwest border. This is a 36.5 percent increase in traffic.

Mr. Chair, 101,000 single individuals, with the majority of these persons being military-age males, were encountered at our border just in the month of August. This isn't effective leadership, and we need to hold DHS officials accountable. This guy needs to be unemployed.

We have written DHS 15 times this Congress to conduct oversight over the board. Again, we request documents and information to understand the Biden administration's plans, if any. We never get anything.

My point is this: This guy's salary needs to be reduced to $1 because that is all he is worth.

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Mr. NEHLS. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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