Rep. Chip Roy Takes on Immigration Council Over Border Security In Heated Exchange

In a recent House Judiciary Committee hearing, a fiery exchange erupted, encapsulating the ongoing debate over border security in the United States. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) and Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, Policy Director of the American Immigration Council, locked horns over the controversial Title 42, a regulation used to expel migrants at the border during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This confrontation serves as a microcosm of the broader national conversation on immigration and border control.

The Accusation Game

Roy began his line of questioning with a series of pointed inquiries, asking Reichlin-Melnick if he considered various senators, including Joe Manchin, Mark Kelly, Maggie Hassan, Raphael Warnock, and Catherine Cortez-Masto, to be racist. 

Reichlin-Melnick declined to comment each time, setting the stage for a tense back-and-forth.

Title 42: A Racist Policy?

The Texas representative then turned his attention to Title 42, accusing Reichlin-Melnick of labeling him a racist for supporting its enforcement. 

Reichlin-Melnick denied the accusation, but Roy continued to press, asking if the Biden administration, which has also enforced Title 42, could be considered racist. He responded by criticizing the administration’s record on racial justice.

The Homeland Security Conundrum

The conversation then shifted to the broader issue of border security. Roy asked former Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf if he believed the current administration was securing the homeland. 

Wolf responded negatively, starkly contrasting with the Biden administration’s claims of having operational border control.

Operational Control: A Matter of Definition

Roy highlighted the discrepancy between the administration’s claims and the statutory definition of operational control under the Secure Offense Act, which includes preventing all unlawful entries into the United States. 

He pointed out that Secretary Mayorkas had stated in a Senate hearing that he does not use this definition. At the same time, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz had admitted that DHS does not have operational control of the entire Southwest border.

The Border Security Paradox

The hearing concluded with Roy questioning the security of the border, citing the 200 known or suspected terrorists who have crossed the border in the last two years. 

He criticized the administration for its portrayal of the border situation, comparing it to the controversial claims of migrants being whipped at the border.

This fiery exchange underscores the ongoing debate over border security in the United States. As the Biden administration continues to grapple with immigration policy and border control, it’s clear that the issue will remain a contentious point of discussion in the political arena.

What Viewers Had to Say

Some viewers felt that the DOJ needs to arrest him: “If he’s not executing the law which is his sworn duty, he’s a criminal. DOJ needs to arrest him.”

Although as a few others point out, it is usually not that simple: “So what is Congress going to do?Did they break the laws? If yes then bring charges and convict them!”. To which the reply followed: “It’s all a SHOW…Nothing ever get done.”

This seemed to be the common reaction, as another states: “What is sickening about this is that all these elected people will sit and condemn what’s going on and then nothing gets done no one gets punished no one evan gets their hand slapped , so they sit through this never answering one question feigning ignorance , and then they walk out laughing to themselves under their breath and go right back to what they were doing before they got there .. what a joke our elected officials have become..”

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