No Shows: Congressional Democrats Refuse to Hear All-Important Testimony on Border Crisis

Congressional Democrats of the Homeland Security Committee will reportedly not be joining a field hearing to be held in McAllen, Texas on March 15 where U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz is scheduled to testify.

The Republican leadership of the committee sharply criticized the decision in statements released Monday.

“It’s deeply disappointing that the Minority members of the Committee have chosen to bail on this week’s full committee field hearing in Texas, only after they invited and confirmed a minority witness for one of the panels,” Committee chairman Rep. Mark Green of Tennessee told Fox News in a statement.

He added,

“The only message their absence sends is that they are uninterested in coming to the table to have a conversation about the devastation that this border crisis is having on Americans and their communities across the country. We will continue to encourage our Democrat colleagues to get out of the DC echo chamber and meet Americans where they are to discuss the biggest issues facing them.”

Ranking Democrat Member Bennie Thompson of Mississippi retorted with several demonstrably false claims. He complained, “it has become clear that Republicans planned to politicize this event from the start.” How precisely does one politicize an already political hearing being conducted by politicians?

STATEMENT from Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (D):

“After careful consideration, Committee Democrats have decided not to participate in the Republicans’ field hearing this week. Unfortunately, it has become clear that Republicans planned to politicize this event from the start,… https://t.co/Z07ZtiGJ4U

— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) March 13, 2023

He claimed, “Instead of a fact-finding mission to develop better border security and immigration policies, Republicans are traveling to the border to attack the Administration and try to score political points with their extreme rhetoric,” adding “Committee Democrats are in regular contact with Department leadership and stakeholders on the ground and will be taking substantive site visits to the border – including as soon as this week.”

FEDERAL JUDGE STRIKES A MASSIVE BLOW TO BIDEN’S OPEN BORDER AGENDA

According to Fox News, in 2021 there were over 1.7 million illegal immigrant encounters in Fiscal 2021, with over 2.3 million in 22′. Thus far 2023 is on trend to blow past both numbers.

The committee’s field hearing at McAllen, TX was announced in February, providing ample time for the Democrat minority to refuse to attend, or request an alternate venue. The timing of the announcement just two days before the hearing doesn’t appear accidental, and instead seems as Thompson might put it: “politicized.”

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