Republican-led House committees launch hearings to scrutinize Biden’s border policies

Amna Nawaz:

In its first hearing of the year, the House Judiciary Committee focused on immigration and how that Biden administration has handled record high numbers at the U.S. Southern border.

Lisa Desjardins has been following it all, and has this look at how Republicans are making border security a key part of their agenda.

Lisa Desjardins:

Wielding their new power, House Republicans hammered the Biden administration over its handling of the border.

Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ):

It is Biden's problem because, in two years, it's radically changed.

Lisa Desjardins:

The House Judiciary Committee is packed with Freedom Caucus and other harder-line conservatives focused on the border, including Texas Congressman Chip Roy.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX):

That is 2020 to 2022, almost 1,000 migrant deaths at the Southwest border of the United States.

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ):

The border is dangerous. Drugs pour across, international terrorists, criminal gang members.

Lisa Desjardins:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection saw a record 2.3 million encounters with migrants in the Southwest last fiscal year, driven by spike in migrants from Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba, with many repeated attempts by the same individuals.

The hearing was parts heated and sharp accusations from Republicans.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH):

Month after month after month, we have set records for migrants coming into the country. And, frankly, I think it's intentional.

Lisa Desjardins:

Part ardent defense from Democrats, who say Republicans are being political.

Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX):

There's no one who wants a safe, secure, well-managed border than those of us who live and work on the border.

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA):

This hearing is titled Biden's border crisis. That is completely wrong. It is not Biden's border crisis. This has been a crisis for over half-a-century.

Lisa Desjardins:

And it was part trying to grasp the problem with U.S. policy at the border.

Sheriff Mark Dannels of Cochise County, Arizona.

Mark Dannels, Cochise County, Arizona, Sheriff:

I work with many Border Patrol agents, federal agents, and, to date, I have not heard one say that it is working.

Lisa Desjardins:

Indeed, along the border, some in law enforcement say their officers are overwhelmed.

Clint McDonald, Southwest Border Sheriff’s Coalition:

The influx of people, the mass quantities of people that are invading our border, our Border Patrol cannot keep up with it.

Lisa Desjardins:

Clint McDonald is the executive director of the Texas and Southwest Border Sheriff's Coalition. He is critical of Biden policy and says Border Patrol is struggling.

Clint McDonald:

They are undermanned, overworked and are falling behind every day. So, our sheriffs are having to put on hold the citizens that elected them to office to try to help with this immigration problem. Our sheriffs do not want to be immigration officers, but they are forced into that role now.

Lisa Desjardins:

But others working on border issues argue the U.S. needs to be more open, not less, to the flood of asylum seekers.

Dylan Corbett is an advocate who works with migrants.

Dylan Corbett, Executive Director, Hope Border Institute:

We are concerned that, two years into the administration's, we have not fully restored asylum at the border and we are seeing steps in the opposite direction, that this administration is embracing some of the policies of the previous administration to manage in a long-term way immigration at the border.

Lisa Desjardins:

Back at today's hearing, the mixed search for light…

Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO):

And I'd love to be able to have a thoughtful conversation with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle about these different prescriptive proposals.

Lisa Desjardins:

… and heat…

Rep. Jim Jordan:

Last Congress, they controlled everything. Joe Biden is a Democrat in the White House. The Senate was controlled by the Democrats and the House was controlled by the Democrats. Why didn't they fix it then?

Lisa Desjardins:

… revealed little new, but opened what could be a significant debate.

Republicans plan more hearings and say they hope to write legislation in coming weeks.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Lisa Desjardins.