10.08.21

Hoeven Joins Cornyn to Press DHS for Answers on Release of Haitian Migrants into U.S.

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven this week joined Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) and others in pressing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to address reports that thousands of Haitian migrants in Del Rio, Texas have been released into the United States.

“The recent influx of migrants into Del Rio is exactly the kind of situation the CDC’s Title 42 order is meant to address,” the senators wrote. “The Administration's response to the ongoing border crisis only makes it more likely that we will continue to experience surges like the one in Del Rio. In August, despite the summer heat, encounters along the southwest border stood above 200,000 for the second month in a row. Until DHS consistently enforces our immigration laws to swiftly remove migrants with weak or nonexistent asylum claims, smuggling organizations will continue to prey on these individuals and convince them to undertake the treacherous journey to our southwest border.” 

Along with Hoeven and Cornyn, the letter was signed by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senators Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Roger Marshall (R-Kans.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), John Thune (R-S.D.), Jerry Moran (R-Kans.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio). Click here for the full text of the letter. 

This effort builds on Senator Hoeven’s push to keep CDC’s Title 42 Public Health Order in place. The senator joined his colleagues, led by Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), in sending a letter to the Biden administration to support keeping Title 42 in place and recently cosponsored the SHIELD Act, introduced by Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), to codify Title 42.  

-###-