Republican Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Texas) said Tuesday (Jan. 19) that he disagrees with fast-tracking Biden’s nominee for secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
He made the announcement hours after the Senate Homeland Security Committee (Senate Homeland Security Committee) concluded a hearing on Alejandro Mayorkas’ nomination.
Hawley said he questioned Mayorkas’ response to questions about how he would protect the U.S.-Mexico border if he took office.
In a statement Tuesday, Hawley said, “In light of President-elect Biden’s promise to roll back some significant law enforcement and security measures, Mr. Mayorkas has not adequately explained how he would enforce federal laws to secure the southern border.”
He said, “Just today, he refused to commit that he would enforce the laws Congress has passed to secure the border wall system. In light of this, I cannot agree to skip the standard review process and fast-track this nomination with so many questions still unanswered.”
Mayorkas previously served as deputy secretary of Homeland Security in the Obama administration. When he was appointed in 2013, he did not win any Republican votes in the Senate.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Mayorkas was asked if he would use $1.4 billion in funding to build a border wall – a major campaign promise by President Trump (R-Texas) in 2015.
He replied, “If I understand correctly the most fundamental question you’re trying to ask, it’s whether I would follow the law and carry out my duties if I had the privilege of being secretary of homeland security. The answer is yes, I would obey the law. What I would need to do is understand what the law says with respect to the obligation to use that money to build a border wall and then see what opportunities there are to terminate that obligation.”
Trump oversaw, and built, about 450 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
About two years ago, Trump declared a national emergency to shift defense funds to the border wall project. Congress also approved the funding.
Mayorkas said at the hearing that Trump’s plan to require immigrants to “stay in Mexico” pending asylum applications would not be immediately scrapped. He said, “It’s not going to happen with just the flick of a switch.”
Mayorkas also said, “I’m not going to abolish” the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is overseen by the Department of Homeland Security. Earlier, some left-wing members of Congress, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), said the agency should be abolished.
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