“This Proposed Rule ignores nearly seven years of oversight conducted by Congress and the Office of Inspector General and reveals chronic foot-dragging—if not total reluctance—when it comes to protecting vulnerable children."
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Texas Insider Report) — U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and several of their Senate Republicans colleagues in sending a letter to the Department of Health & Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) demanding the agency change its harmful policies that threaten unaccompanied alien children in the United States.
The proposed rule, which is already being enforced by ORR, allows vulnerable unaccompanied alien children to be placed in the custody of unvetted sponsors that potentially have a criminal record.
The rule also obstructs whistleblowers from reporting to Congress regarding abuse in the program.
Republicans are calling for ORR change its policies or face congressional action to overturn the finalized rule. In the letter, the senators wrote:
“This Proposed Rule ignores nearly seven years of oversight conducted by Congress and the Office of Inspector General and reveals chronic foot-dragging — if not total reluctance — when it comes to protecting vulnerable children. It provides ample protections to government bureaucrats at the expense of children.
"Even more concerning, ‘the requirements being [adopted] in this proposed rule are already enforced by [the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)].”
Cosigners of the letter include Senators:
- John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)
- Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)
- Katie Boyd Britt (R-Ala.)
- Mike Braun (R-Ind.)
- Ted Budd (R-N.C.)
- Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.)
- John Cornyn (R-Texas)
- Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)
- Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)
- Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.),
- Steve Daines (R-Mont.)
- Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)
- Deb Fischer (R-Neb.)
- Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)
- Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.)
- Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)
- John Hoeven (R-N.D.)
- Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.)
- Ron Johnson (R-Wis.)
- John Kennedy (R-La.),
- James Lankford (R-Okla.)
- Mike Lee (R-Utah)
- Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.)
- Roger Marshall (R-Kan.)
- Jerry Moran (R-Kan.),
- Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla)
- Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.)
- Jim Risch (R-Idaho)
- Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)
- Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.)
- Rick Scott (R-Fla.)
- Tim Scott (R-S.C.)
- John Thune (R-S.D.),
- Thom Tillis (R-N.C.)
- Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.)
- J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), and
- Todd Young (R-Ind.)
Read the full text of the bill here.
