A New Era of Homeland Security: A Review of the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for DHS
Committee on Homeland Security
2025-05-14
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Source: Congress.gov
Participants
Transcript
The Committee on Homeland Security will come to order. Without objection, the Chair may declare the Committee in recess at any point. During today's hearing, I would remind members that they should direct their comments to the Chair or to the Secretary. I now recognize myself for an opening statement. Good morning, Secretary Nunn, and thank you for joining the Committee today to discuss President Trump's budget to fund the crucial mission of the Department of Homeland Security. Before we begin, I want to mention that this is Police Week, a time for us to remember and honor the contributions of the men and women of federal, state, and local law enforcement across this country, including within DHS. I think a lot of people don't realize that there are more badges in HSI than there are in the FBI. So much could be said about all of you who devote your lives to service and to keep us safe. But for now, let me simply say thank you. Thank you and know that our committee has your back. Madam Secretary, this is your first appearance before the committee, and I look forward to continuing to work closely with you and your team as we strive to undo the damage and the chaos created by your predecessor. When you took office, you inherited an unprecedented crisis at our southern border, at all our borders, created by President Biden, Vice President and Border Czar Kamala Harris and Secretary Mayorkas. For four years, the administration and unaccountable bureaucrats helped craft their extreme agenda, dismantled our secure border, gutted interior immigration enforcement and implemented a policy of mass catch and release that flooded our communities with millions of illegal immigrants. Under the Biden-Harris administration, Customs and Border Protection recorded more than 11 million encounters of inadmissible aliens at our border. On top of that, astronomical number, CBP has recorded roughly 2 million known gotaways, a number that exceeded the previous 10 physical years combined.
That's more than 13 million inadmissible aliens who violated our sovereign border in just four years, around quadruple the number from the first Trump administration, and all because the administration's policies and rhetoric encouraged them to do so. The first few months of the second Trump administration provided a remarkable contrast. Under your and President Trump's leadership, the Border Patrol has apprehended just around 25,000 illegal crossers at the Southwest border. By comparison, in December of 2024, more than 47,000 illegal crossers were apprehended. We went from a record 301,000 illegal crossings at the Southwest border in December of 23 to just over 7,000 in March. an astonishing 97% decrease. It turns out we didn't need comprehensive immigration reform or woefully misguided Senate border bill that was pushed by the former secretary. We just needed a president willing to enforce the laws Congress had already passed. Because illegal aliens now know that President Trump will have them removed from the country, they've stopped coming. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle understand this. They do not want to talk about these victories because they know that for four years they stood on the wrong side of this issue, defending open borders and the abolition of ICE. They also understand the American people do not trust them on the issue of border security and immigration enforcement, in large part because of their radical stances. I expect they'll spend a lot of time today twisting the truth to mislead the American people. I look forward to hearing you set the record straight. And while we're talking about Democrats anti-enforcement extremism, I'd like to briefly extend my regrets to you, Madam Secretary, and to the entire DHS workforce for the antics we saw on display outside the Delaney Hall detention facility last week. Right now, attacks on law enforcement across this country are up 400%.
Public officials should be sending a clear signal that these brave public servants are to be respected and not assaulted. However, on Friday, current and former Democrat members of this committee stormed their way into an ICE facility in Newark, causing mass chaos and verbally and physically accosting members of federal law enforcement in the process. I'd like to share a video. The Department of Homeland Security is warning there could be more arrests following the incident that you see here. I'm embarrassed by what I saw, and everyone should be. This behavior is utterly unbecoming of a citizen, let alone a member of Congress. Democrats may talk a big game about law and order, but these actions are a violation of the sacred principle. Not only have Democrats excused these actions, but they've actually tried to blame ICE for what happened. When you punch a law enforcement officer, that's not the law enforcement officer's fault. This behavior demands a swift and firm response, and I assure you action will be taken. Despite Democrats' best efforts to prevent it, the Trump administration has ended the immediate crisis at our borders. However, more work remains. particularly in removing the millions of individuals who have no lawful basis to be in the United States. It is essential that we swiftly fund enforcement efforts through the reconciliation process.
Congress must also codify President Trump's successful policies to ensure they can withstand the schemes of open border radicals. Meanwhile, the open border is not the only threat our nation faces.
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