“Clear your calendar,” House Homeland Security Committee Democrats posted on social media to Markwayne Mullin on election day as Republicans lost the House.
The next day, Mullin posted a three-word message of his own: “Deportations will continue,” latimes.com reported. After affordability and the Iran war, immigration defined the midterm elections, and Democrats now plan to increase agency oversight and rein in enforcement policies following majorities won in both chambers.
.@SecMullinDHS clear your calendar. https://t.co/dIL0qDbnPA
Come January, Democrats control every House seat along the U.S.–Mexico border. Their investigative leeway expands, but advancing an immigration agenda depends on Republican collaboration and President Trump’s approval. Trump appointed Stephen Miller, architect of stringent policies, as his new chief of staff on Friday. Yet on Sunday’s “60 Minutes,” Trump called his deportation policy “too tough” while claiming an “A+ for closing up the border.”
Trump expressed a willingness to work with the Democratic majority on reforms targeting criminals rather than longtime residents, noting that while some on the far right want to remove everyone, others favor dealing with the rough ones like killers and drug dealers while working out a deal for those present for 10 or 15 years. Meanwhile, Democrats have posted job listings for investigators, lawyers, and law clerks to staff up for upcoming oversight.
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach), poised to lead the House Oversight Committee, targeted DHS abuses and former Secretary Kristi Noem during a Wednesday news conference in Huntington Beach, where he also criticized advisor Corey Lewandowski and described inhumane incidents such as people being kidnapped, detained, thrown to the ground with broken arms, and snatched on the way to government-scheduled appointments.
Deportations will continue.
Rep. Sen.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) urged GOP committee chairs to prepare for Democratic scrutiny in a Thursday letter, warning that Democrats will use oversight to harass the president, his family, and cabinet officials, and telling chairs to consider how recent Supreme Court decisions factor into oversight.
NEW: Ranking Member Thompson demands DHS preserve every record, email, and contract—and turn over all outstanding documents.⁰⁰Everyone at DHS who thought they could stonewall their way out of accountability should read this letter.⁰⁰You’ll be hearing from us. pic.twitter.com/zmOFz3zWlX
Criticizing the administration’s direction following Miller’s appointment, someone said Trump is choosing to double down, handing the keys of the West Wing to the man most responsible for this Administration’s failures and most harmful policies. Prof. Chris Tausanovitch noted that budget negotiations are the primary way to influence legislation because of the high threshold required to override a presidential veto.
Private operators running detention facilities for Immigration and Customs Enforcement are already taking the incoming Democratic control of Congress into account in their operational planning.
BREAKING: @FoxNews has obtained a letter sent today by GOP House Majority Leader Steve Scalise to all House GOP committee Chairmen with recommendations on how best to use their remaining days in power to prepare for upcoming House Democrat investigations and "retribution". "You… pic.twitter.com/Y6gviJFlvj”
