Milwaukee City Wire

On December 5, 2023, U.S. Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, along with 38 other Republican senators, sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) urging them to make significant changes to their policies regarding the treatment of unaccompanied alien children in the United States. The senators expressed concerns about the potential dangers and deficiencies in the agency's current practices.

The senators specifically highlighted the ORR's Proposed Rule, which is already being enforced in parts, and its implications for the safety and wellbeing of these vulnerable children. According to the senators, this rule allows the ORR to place children in the custody of sponsors who may not be thoroughly vetted and could potentially have criminal backgrounds. Additionally, the Proposed Rule obstructs whistleblowers from reporting abuse to Congress.

In their letter, the senators criticized the Proposed Rule for disregarding years of congressional and Office of Inspector General oversight, suggesting a lack of commitment to protecting these children. They argued that the rule prioritizes the protection of government bureaucrats over the wellbeing of the children. The senators also pointed out that the requirements outlined in the Proposed Rule are already enforced by the ORR.

The letter raised concerns about the ORR's lack of consideration for a sponsor's criminal record, drug use, history of abuse or neglect, and other child welfare concerns. The senators noted that the ORR relies heavily on the representations made by sponsors without conducting thorough evaluations.

The senators emphasized that the Proposed Rule fails to fulfill the ORR's responsibility to protect vulnerable children from potential harm by poorly vetted sponsors who may have criminal backgrounds. They highlighted that the taxpayer-funded ORR received $5.5 billion in FY2022 for these services. The senators concluded their letter by stating that if the ORR does not discard the Proposed Rule and its current practices, Congress will have no choice but to introduce a resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act.

Senator Johnson and Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa were joined by several other Republican senators in signing the letter. The list of signatories includes Senators Lindsey Graham, Shelley Moore Capito, Marsha Blackburn, and many others.

The senators' concerns regarding the safety and wellbeing of unaccompanied alien children are evident in their letter to the ORR. They have called for significant changes to the agency's policies and have emphasized the need to prioritize the protection of these vulnerable children.

For additional details, please follow this link: https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/2023/12/sen-johnson-joins-38-gop-senators-in-demanding-changes-to-biden-administration-rule-endangering-safety-and-wellbeing-of-unaccompanied-alien-children