Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs and 19 fellow GOP House leaders sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday to demand answers regarding a reported increase in the number of Russian nationals entering the U.S. across the nation’s southern border.
The letter included a list of important questions regarding the report, with a request for answers by April 15.
“We have recently been made aware of an increase in aliens from Russia illegally entering the United States. Given the Biden administration’s catch and release policies, we have serious concerns that Russians illegally entering the United States will simply be released into the interior with minimal vetting,” the lawmakers wrote.
“Releasing illegal aliens into our communities is a significant national security threat,” the letter added.
I’ve been recently made aware of reports of an increase in Russians attempting to enter the country and have serious concerns of what this could mean for our national security.
Secretary Mayorkas must provide more clarity about this situation.
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) April 4, 2022
Biggs also shared his concerns in a statement released on Friday.
“Americans deserve to know who is attempting to illegally enter the country and whether they are being released into the country,” Biggs wrote.
“I’ve been recently made aware of reports of an increase in Russians attempting to enter the country and have serious concerns of what this could mean for our national security. Secretary Mayorkas must provide more clarity about this situation, especially as national security threats from Russia increase given the current situation in Ukraine,” he added.
Illinois Republican Rep. Mary Miller, who also signed the letter, shared her concerns over the issue of Russians illegally crossing the southern border, noting the contrast with Biden’s treatment of Ukraine and the U.S.
“Biden wants US troops to prevent Russians from crossing Ukraine’s border while allowing more than 2,000 Russians to illegally cross our southern border without knowing their intentions. If Biden cared about National Security, he would secure our own border!” she wrote on Twitter.
Biden wants US troops to prevent Russians from crossing Ukraine's border while allowing more than 2,000 Russians to illegally cross our southern border without knowing their intentions. If Biden cared about National Security, he would secure our own border!https://t.co/O08eG70F5o
— Rep. Mary Miller (@RepMaryMiller) January 31, 2022
In addition to the report of Russian nationals crossing the nation’s southern border on Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the same day that it will terminate the Title 42 public health policy that allows border officials to turn away migrants because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Trump-era policy has been in effect since March 2020 to turn away thousands of migrants in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The Daily Wire reported:
“After considering current public health conditions and an increased availability of tools to fight COVID-19 (such as highly effective vaccines and therapeutics), the CDC Director has determined that an Order suspending the right to introduce migrants into the United States is no longer necessary,” the CDC said in a statement on Friday.
The end of the policy is scheduled to be “implemented on May 23, 2022, to enable DHS time to implement appropriate COVID-19 mitigation protocols,” according to the statement.