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Rep. Hinson grills Mayorkas on budget request that mentions ‘cartels’ zero times

  • 29. Mar 2023. 18:47
  • By The EU Times
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Congressman Ashley Hinson (R-IA) grilled Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas on Thursday over the department’s budget request that mentions “cartels” zero times.

At a House Appropriations Committee hearing, Hinson pointed out that the budget makes no mention of the cartels that are causing the humanitarian crisis at the southern border. “The cartels are driving the crisis at the border. They control the flow of people and drugs. So why isn’t the budget focused on dismantling these criminal organizations?” she asked.

Mayorkas defended the budget, saying it “is focused on addressing the root causes of migration,” and that the department has made progress in dismantling the cartels.

“We are focused on reducing the capacity of the cartels to smuggle illicit goods and people, and we have had success. We have seized billions of dollars of their profits. We have arrested and charged hundreds of their members, and we are disrupting their operations,” Mayorkas said.

He added that the budget focuses on “addressing the root causes of migration” and that “by addressing those root causes, we will make progress in terms of reducing the flow at the border and reducing the capacity of the cartels to smuggle illicit goods and people.”

Hinson pushed back, saying that the budget should be focused on dismantling the cartels, rather than addressing the root causes of migration.

“I understand that addressing the root causes of migration is important, but if we don’t address the cartels, we’re not going to solve the border crisis,” she said.

The exchange between Hinson and Mayorkas highlights the sharp divide between Republicans and Democrats when it comes to the immigration debate. While Republicans have called for a tougher stance on border security and immigration, Democrats have focused on addressing the root causes of migration and providing humanitarian aid.