Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas was blasted by a Republican lawmaker on Tuesday over special agents within his department being reassigned to “make sandwiches” at the border for illegal immigrants being held there.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., targeted Mayorkas based on the testimony of a special agent from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) who said at least 600 agents were cleared of other charges and sent across the border amid the influx of migrants crossing the country.
When pressed for a specific number of agents reassigned, Mayorkas had no answer, but said he was “pleased” to provide it. He added that the reassigned agents are at the border “to combat the scourge of fentanyl.”
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“That’s not what the special agent is saying. That’s not what he said. He said there were dismissals in the fentanyl interdiction, dismissals of child exploitation charges, in their other criminal investigations to make sandwiches. That’s his quote. You’re saying that this is a lie? That she’s wrong?” Hawley said.
Mayorkas argued that there are “a number of law enforcement priorities,” to which Hawley asked, “Is making sandwiches one of them?”
“Of course not, senator. We accomplish a tremendous amount —” he responded before Hawley jumped in, asking if the agent’s testimony was wrong.
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“Making sandwiches for illegal immigrants? Is he wrong? It’s one of your agents. Is he wrong? He said there were 600, at least, special agents who got into other cases, sent to the border to take care of illegal immigrants. Is he wrong?” he asked.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., (left) and Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas (right). (Getty Images)
Mayorkas said DHS personnel were used “to achieve the highest law enforcement goals possible. That’s what we do.”
“So you won’t deny it?” Hawley asked.
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“I’m incredibly proud of what our people do every single day,” said Mayorkas.
A department email sent to ICE agents in July and obtained by Fox News Digital said that due to an increase in migrant encounters at the time HSI would increase Operation Expanded Impact (OEI) numbers from 60 up to 200.
Asylum seekers wait to be processed by US Border Patrol agents after crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico into the United States on September 30, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas. Border security and immigration have been key issues in ongoing negotiations to fund the US government. A recent surge in immigrant crossings at the southern US border has overwhelmed authorities. (John Moore/Getty Images)
According to the email, those agents are to deploy to key border sectors in Texas, Arizona and California.
The OEI was launched last year as part of a DHS effort to target transnational criminal organizations involved in human smuggling and activities.
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According to an HSI agent who spoke to Fox News Digital at the time, deployed agents were often sent on short notice, and sometimes only assisted the Border Patrol in processing incoming migrants.
“You use specialized and trained special agents who are trained in criminal investigations and law enforcement tactics to watch people and distribute food to individuals and assist with processing,” the agent said.
Adam Shaw of Fox News contributed to this report.
