Today, in an effort that strains credulity, House Republicans are holding hearings to both target gun safety rules and express concern about the welfare of unaccompanied migrant children at the Southern border. It defies logic that Republicans claim to want to address violent crime while also calling to defund the agency tasked with cracking down on the unlawful use, creation, and possession of firearms to reduce violent crime and promote public safety. Their attacks on the agency also come as data shows there have been more mass shootings in 2023 than there have been days in the year, and research showing firearms are the leading cause of death among children in the U.S. They continue this crusade despite poll after poll showing the majority of Americans want Congress to do more to reduce gun violence.
Further displaying how out of touch they are, Republicans continue to fearmonger about the border rather than focus on passing bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform. They do this despite reporting that showed Republicans’ rhetoric about “open borders” could be making the situation at the border worse. House Republicans who have long stood in the way of comprehensive reform packages can’t even agree among themselves on legislation. They also seem more interested in trying to start a war with Mexico than solving these issues.
Now, they’ve chosen to give witnesses who have ties to a bad faith actor and a hate group a platform at today’s hearing. One witness is affiliated with Project Veritas, a conservative group known to operate in bad faith. Project Veritas has been found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation, has associated with convicted thieves, pushed a false claim about the 2020 election, and its founder was charged with attempting to break into the phones of a former U.S. Senator. House Republicans’ other witness works for an organization that the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) designated as a hate group because of its repeated circulation of white nationalist and anti-Semitic writers. According to SPLC, reports and blog posts from the group, including research by the witness, have also been widely discredited and debunked.
If you’re looking for serious efforts to combat violent crime and gun violence, make the U.S. safer for kids, and address immigration reform, you won’t find it among House Republicans.
The Same Day House Republicans Hold A Hearing To Complain About Gun Rules, They Also Hold A Hearing About The Safety Of Migrant Children
4/26/23: HOUSE REPUBLICANS HOLD A HEARING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT GUN RESTRICTIONS IMPLEMENTED BY THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES
4/26/23: The House Judiciary Committee Planned To Hold A Hearing On Oversight Of The Bureau Of Alcohol, Firearms And Explosives, Focused On The Pistol Brace Rule, “Frame Or Receiver” Rule And Its Policy Of “Zero Tolerance For Federal Firearms Licenses. “The House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. ET. The hearing, ‘Oversight of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF),’ will examine the agency’s Pistol Brace rule, the ‘Frame or Receiver’ rule, and its policy of ‘zero-tolerance’ for Federal Firearms Licenses, among other oversight topics. WITNESS: ATF Director Steven Dettelbach” [U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, Hearing, 4/26/23]
- Jim Jordan Claimed The Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, And Explosives Was Not Being Transparent About Its Rule Banning Stabilizing Pistol Braces And Accused It Of Shutting Down “Lawful Businesses Through The ‘Zero-Tolerance’ Policy For Federal Firearms Dealers.” “House Judiciary Committee Republicans Jim Jordan of Ohio and Thomas Massie of Kentucky, sent a letter to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) demanding the agency’s head testify before Congress. Jordan, the chairman of the committee, and Massie, who holds a subcommittee gavel, demanded ATF Director Stephen Dettelbach appear before the House Judiciary Committee along with several agency officials. In the letter obtained by Fox News Digital, the lawmakers wrote they ‘have written the ATF with several requests for information and documents regarding the agency’s efforts to regulate firearms through the rulemaking process’ and that they have ‘additional questions’ requiring Dettelbach’s and other agency officials’ testimonies. ‘The ATF’s lack of transparency comes after the agency issued a final rule banning stabilizing pistol braces, and as the agency continues to shut down lawful businesses through the ‘zero-tolerance’ policy for federal firearms dealers (FFLs),’ the Republicans wrote.” [Fox News, 3/7/23]
4/26/23: HOUSE REPUBLICANS HOLD A HEARING ON UNACCOMPANIED MIGRANT CHILDREN CROSSING THE SOUTHERN BORDER
4/26/23: House Judiciary Subcommittee On Immigration Planned To Hold A Hearing To “Examine The Unprecedented Surge Of Unaccompanied Alien Children At The Southwest Border And How Open-Border Policies Enable The Exploitation Of Those Children.” “The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement will hold a hearing on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. ET. The hearing, ‘The Biden Border Crisis: Exploitation of Unaccompanied Alien Children,’ will examine the unprecedented surge of unaccompanied alien children at the southwest border and how open-border policies enable the exploitation of those children. WITNESSES: Tara Lee Rodas, Health and Human Services Whistleblower, Federal Inspector General Employee Sheena Rodriguez, Founder and President, Alliance for a Safe Texas Jessica Vaughn, Director of Policy Studies, Center for Immigration Studies.” [U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, Hearing, 4/26/23]
Republicans Would Rather Bow To The Gun Lobby Than Support Common Sense Gun Reform To Protect Children In America
HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN VOCAL ABOUT THEIR DESIRE TO DEFUND THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES
Axios Reported GOP Hardliners Have Been Vocal About Their Desire To Slash Funding To Federal Agencies – Rep. Matt Gaetz Suggested Abolishing Federal Agencies Including The FBI And ATF. “Some GOP hardliners have been vocal about their desire to slash funding to agencies they view as weaponized against conservatives. Rep. Matt Gaetz has even suggested abolishing several federal agencies, including the FBI and ATF.” [Axios, 3/23/23]
- The Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms And Explosives Investigates And Prevents The Unlawful Use, Manufacture, And Possession Of Firearms In Order To Reduce Violent Crime And Promote Public Safety. “ATF’s responsibilities include the investigation and prevention of federal offenses involving the unlawful use, manufacture, and possession of firearms and explosives; acts of arson and bombings; and illegal trafficking of alcohol and tobacco products. The ATF also regulates, via licensing, the sale, possession, and transportation of firearms, ammunition, and explosives in interstate commerce. Many of ATF’s activities are carried out in conjunction with task forces made up of state and local law enforcement officers, such as Project Safe Neighborhoods. ATF operates a unique fire research laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, where full-scale mock-ups of criminal arson can be reconstructed. […] ATF uses these statutes to target, investigate and recommend prosecution of these offenders to reduce the level of violent crime and to enhance public safety. ATF also strives to increase State and local awareness of available Federal prosecution under these statutes. To curb the illegal use of firearms and enforce the Federal firearms laws, ATF issues firearms licenses and conducts firearms licensee qualification and compliance inspections.” [Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms And Explosives, Accessed 4/25/23]
Reps. Clyde And Bishop Expressed Public Concern About ATF Regulations. “Republicans want to make significant spending cuts across the government, targeting what they see as government ‘waste, fraud and abuse.’ In particular, Republicans like Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) are concerned about a new ATF rule under Biden, which they say could needlessly put gun owners in legal trouble. ‘It’s going to render millions of Americans felons,’ Rep. Dan Bishop (R-N.C.) told Axios about the ATF rule earlier this month” [Axios, 3/23/23]
Rep. Fallon Claimed The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Had Been “Weaponize[d]” By The Biden Administration To Infringe On The Rights Of Gun Owners. “In his opening statement, Fallon said the hearing was called to address the Biden administration efforts to ‘infringe’ upon the rights of gun owners and ‘weaponize’ the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or ATF.” [Roll Call, 3/23/23]
Rep. Matt Gaetz Introduced A Bill To Abolish The ATF
Rep. Matt Gaetz Announced A Bill To Abolish The Bureau Of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms And Explosives. “Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., announced Wednesday that he introduced a bill to “abolish” the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). In a press release announcing the new bill, which will be referred to the House Judiciary Committee, Gaetz said House Republicans had the ATF in their ‘crosshairs.’” [WPDE, 1/18/23] (BILL)
THE GUN VIOLENCE ARCHIVE SHOWED, AS OF APRIL 17, THERE HAD BEEN MORE MASS SHOOTINGS THAN DAYS IN 2023
HEADLINE: “Mass Shootings In U.S. On A Record Pace In 2023 So Far” [Associated Press, 4/21/23]
As Of April 17, 2023, Gun Violence Archive Showed There Had Been More Mass Shootings Than Days In 2023. “The United States has faced at least 163 mass shootings so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. There have been more mass shootings than days in 2023. Mass shootings are defined as an incident in which four or more victims are shot or killed, according to the archive. There have been more than 30 mass shootings in the U.S. in the first 17 days of April alone, according to GVA.” [ABC News, 4/17/23]
- Gun Violence Archive Found There Had Been More Than 30 Mass Shootings In The United States In The First 17 Days Of April Alone. “The United States has faced at least 163 mass shootings so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. There have been more mass shootings than days in 2023. Mass shootings are defined as an incident in which four or more victims are shot or killed, according to the archive. There have been more than 30 mass shootings in the U.S. in the first 17 days of April alone, according to GVA.” [ABC News, 4/17/23]
- HEADLINE: “There Were Seven Mass Shootings On Saturday – The Most Of Any Day This Year” [CNN, 4/18/23]
GUNS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR CHILDREN IN AMERICA
HEADLINE: “Firearms Overtook Auto Accidents As The Leading Cause Of Death In Children” [NPR, 4/22/22]
2021: Centers For Disease Control And Prevention Found Firearms Accounted For Nearly 19 Percent Of Childhood Deaths. “Guns are the leading cause of death for US children and teens, since surpassing car accidents in 2020. Firearms accounted for nearly 19% of childhood deaths (ages 1-18) in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wonder database. Nearly 3,600 children died in gun-related incidents that year. That’s about five children lost for every 100,000 children in the United States. In no other comparable country are firearms within the top four causes of mortality among children, according to a KFF analysis.” [CNN, 3/29/23]
Johns Hopkins Researchers Found Gun Violence Was The Leading Cause Of Death Among Children And Teens In 2020. “In their report about gun violence, ‘A Year in Review: 2020 Gun Deaths in the U.S.,’ researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions analyzed CDC data from 2020 and found that gun violence was the leading cause of death among children, teens, and young adults under age 25. Firearms were also the leading cause of death for children and teens ages 1 to 19, taking the lives of 4,357 young people, they wrote.” [Politifact, 6/7/22]
University Of Michigan Researchers Found Firearms Were The Leading Cause Of Death In 2020 Among Americans Aged One To 19. According to an article by researchers at the University of Michigan: “The previous analysis, which examined data through 2016, showed that firearm-related injuries were second only to motor vehicle crashes (both traffic-related and nontraffic-related) as the leading cause of death among children and adolescents, defined as persons 1 to 19 years of age.4 Since 2016, that gap has narrowed, and in 2020, firearm-related injuries became the leading cause of death in that age group (Figure 1). From 2019 to 2020, the relative increase in the rate of firearm-related deaths of all types (suicide, homicide, unintentional, and undetermined) among children and adolescents was 29.5% — more than twice as high as the relative increase in the general population.” [New England Journal of Medicine, 5/19/22]
Kaiser Family Foundation Found That In No Other Comparable Country Are Firearms Within The Top Four Causes Of Death Among Children. “Guns are the leading cause of death for US children and teens, since surpassing car accidents in 2020. Firearms accounted for nearly 19% of childhood deaths (ages 1-18) in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wonder database. Nearly 3,600 children died in gun-related incidents that year. That’s about five children lost for every 100,000 children in the United States. In no other comparable country are firearms within the top four causes of mortality among children, according to a KFF analysis.” [CNN, 3/29/23]
AMERICANS WANT CONGRESS TO DO MORE TO REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE
New York Times: “Nationally, A Majority Of Americans Have Supported Stricter Gun Laws For Decades.” “Expanded background checks for guns purchased routinely receive more than 80 or 90 percent support in polling. Nationally, a majority of Americans have supported stricter gun laws for decades. A Gallup poll conducted in June found that 55 percent of participants were in favor of a ban on the manufacture, possession and sale of semiautomatic guns. A majority of respondents also supported other measures, including raising the legal age at which people can purchase certain firearms, and enacting a 30-day waiting period for gun sales.” [New York Times, 1/26/23]
April 2023: A Navigator Poll Found 67 Percent Of Americans Did Not Think Lawmakers Had Done Enough To Prevent Gun Violence In America, Including Nearly Half Of Republicans And 55 Percent Of Gun-Owning Households. “Americans Don’t Think Gun Laws Are Strong Enough Nor That Washington Has Done Enough Majorities of Democrats (88%) and independents (55%) say gun laws in the U.S. should be stronger, along with nearly two in five Republicans (38%) and half of those in gun-owning households (48%); two in three Americans (67%) also say that leaders in D.C. ‘have not done enough’ to prevent gun violence, including nearly half of Republicans (48%) and 55% of those in gun-owning households.” [Navigator Research, 4/14/23]
February 2023: A Gallup Poll Found 63 Percent Of Americans Are Dissatisfied With The United States’ Gun Laws. “A majority of Americans surveyed expressed dissatisfaction with current gun laws in the U.S. amid a recent string of mass shootings affecting the country, according to a new Gallup poll. The poll, published Wednesday, found that 63 percent of respondents said they are dissatisfied with the nation’s laws and policies on firearms, while 34 percent of those surveyed said the opposite. The results marked the highest percentage of Americans that are dissatisfied with current gun laws in the last seven years, with a seven-point increase from last year, when 56 percent of respondents claimed they were unhappy. Satisfaction with gun policies in the country has also fallen since last year’s poll, tying the lowest on record, according to Gallup.” [The Hill, 2/15/23]
August 2022: University Of Chicago/Associated Press Poll Found Three-Fourths Of Americans Saw Gun Violence As A Major Problem In The United States. “Three-fourths of Americans view gun violence as a major problem, and 8 in 10 say gun violence is on the rise in the United States. Fewer believe it is increasing in their state (66%) or local community (39%). Those living in urban areas (51%) are more likely to believe that gun violence is on the rise in their communities than those living in suburbs (39%) and rural communities (27%).” [University of Chicago, Harris School of Public Policy, Press Release, 8/22/22]
August 2022: University Of Chicago/Associated Press Poll Found 71 Percent Of Americans Support Stricter Gun Laws. “Many Americans want to both prevent gun violence and protect gun rights. Fifty-two percent say it is both very important to prevent mass shootings and very important to ensure people are able to own guns for personal protection. There is broad public support for a variety of gun control policies, and 71% of Americans say gun laws should be stricter.” [University of Chicago, Harris School of Public Policy, Press Release, 8/22/22]
July 2022: Pew Research Center Found 64 Percent Of Americans Approved Of The Bipartisan Gun Safety Law. “Americans are largely supportive of the new gun law passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on June 25. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults (64%) approve of the new gun law, including 32% who strongly approve. Just 21% say they disapprove of the law, including 11% who strongly disapprove; 15% are not sure.” [Pew Research Center, 7/11/22]
- July 2022: Pew Research Center Poll Found 63 Percent Of Americans Wanted Congress To Pass More Legislation To Address Gun Violence. “And roughly six-in-ten adults (63%) say they would like to see Congress pass another round of legislation to address gun violence, compared with 35% who do not.” [Pew Research Center, 7/11/22]
June 2022: Morning Consult/Politico Poll Showed 68 Percent Of Americans Wanted Stricter Gun Laws. “As Congress moves closer than it has in years to passing gun safety legislation following the recent mass shootings in Texas and New York, a new Morning Consult/Politico survey shows voter support for gun control has reached a new high. According to the June 10-12 survey, 68% of voters support stricter gun control laws, higher than the previous record of 66%, which was set after the 2019 mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.” [Morning Consult, 6/15/22]
June 2022: An ABC News/Ipsos Poll Found 70 Percent Of Americans Believed Enacting Stricter Gun Laws Should Be A Top Priority. “Seventy percent of Americans think enacting new gun control laws should take precedence over protecting ownership rights, according to an ABC News/Ipsos poll out Sunday. Why it matters: The findings indicate widespread support for stricter gun control laws in the wake of mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, Uvalde, Texas, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.” [Axios, 6/5/22]
June 2022: CBS News/ YouGov Poll Found Three In Four Parents Were At Least Somewhat Concerned About The Possibility Of Gun Violence At Their Kids’ Schools, And More Than Half Of Parents Said Their Children Sometimes Worried About Gun Violence At School. “The spate of gun violence seems to be taking its toll on parents and children alike. Parents are concerned about the safety of their children in schools and report feeling stressed, scared and angry — and many report that their children are feeling the same. Parents on both sides of the gun control debate express concern about their children’s safety. Three in four parents of school-aged children are at least somewhat concerned about the possibility of gun violence at their children’s school, including one in three who are very concerned. Large majorities of parents report feeling sad, stressed, scared and nervous after seeing or hearing about the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Two in three parents say they are angry. And it’s not just the parents who are concerned — most parents say their children are also worried. More than half of parents say their school-aged children sometimes worry about gun violence while attending school, including more than a quarter who say they worry about it a lot.” [CBS News, 6/5/22]
Republicans Would Rather Fearmonger About The Border Than Pass Real Immigration Reform
HOUSE REPUBLICANS CAN’T EVEN AGREE AMONG THEMSELVES ABOUT IMMIGRATION POLICY, LET ALONE PASS COMPREHENSIVE REFORM
HEADLINE: “Early Rift Over Immigration Exposes House GOP’s Tough Path To Consensus” [Washington Post, 1/23/23]
New York Times Reported There Were Not Enough House Republicans On Board With Proposed Border Security Legislation To “Avoid Potentially Embarrassing Defeats On The House Floor.” “But the more immediate obstacle facing House G.O.P. leaders lies within their own ranks: There are not enough Republican members yet on board with either impeachment proceedings against Mr. Mayorkas or the border security legislation to avoid potentially embarrassing defeats on the House floor. The border bill ‘has a long way to go before it hits prime time,’ Representative Tony Gonzales, Republican of Texas, told reporters this week, warning that it would be foolhardy for G.O.P. leaders to press ahead with immigration legislation that stood no chance of passing Congress, given the party’s slim majority in the House.” [New York Times, 4/19/23]
HEADLINE: “House GOP Grapples With Disagreement Over Border And Immigration Legislation” [The Hill, 2/13/23]
In 2018, The GOP-Controlled Congress Couldn’t Even Get President Donald Trump To Support Their Immigration Reform Bill, Which Failed In The House By A Huge Margin
June 2018: H.R.6136 – Border Security And Immigration Reform Act Of 2018 – “Failed Of Passage/Not Agreed To In House: On Passage Failed By Recorded Vote: 121 – 301” [Roll Call, H.R. 6136, 115th Congress, 6/27/18]
CNN Reported House Republicans Abandoned A GOP-Leadership Backed Immigration Reform Bill, Which Went On To Fail 121-301. “House Republicans abandoned a GOP leadership-backed immigration bill Wednesday, the latest setback in the years-long intraparty war between Republicans on the polarizing issue. The bill, which was never expected to pass, failed by an even wider margin than expected – 121-301 – and had far less Republican support than a more conservative bill that failed last week. With little fanfare and erratic presidential support, the bill represented House Republicans’ most steadfast effort in decades to find a compromise between moderates and conservatives, legislation that would have provided a path to citizenship for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, as well as $25 billion for border security, including the President’s border wall.” [CNN, 6/27/18]
Members Claimed It Would Only Work If President Trump Backed The Measure, But Trump Repeatedly Flip-Flopped On His Support. “‘This only works if Trump’s behind us,’ one member said. ‘No use sticking out our necks if the bill’s going to fail.’ In the last few weeks, President Donald Trump has sent mixed messages. At first, Trump said he wouldn’t back the compromise bill in an interview with Fox News only to have his staff issue a statement later that day saying he would back it. Then, after visiting Capitol Hill himself Tuesday last week and dispatching Cabinet officials to Capitol Hill, Trump tweeted Friday that members of Congress were wasting their time.” [CNN, 6/27/18]
In 2013, House Republicans Torpedoed A Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill That Passed The Senate With 68 Votes
HEADLINE: “Tea Partiers Reject Immigration Reform” [Politico, 5/21/13]
The 2013 Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill Passed The Senate 68 To 32. “Backed by Democrats and 14 Republicans, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act passed the Senate on a 68-32 vote on June 27, 2013.” [Politifact, 1/26/18]
House Speaker John Boehner Refused To Bring Up The 2013 Immigration Bill That Passed The Senate For A Vote In The House. “But House Republicans again opposed the Senate immigration proposal, arguing that border security needed to be addressed first before legalizing the status of millions of immigrants. ‘I’ve made it clear and I’ll make it clear again, the House does not intend to take up the Senate bill,’ then-House Speaker John Boehner said July 2013. ‘The House is going to do its own job in developing an immigration bill.’ He reiterated his position in November 2013: ‘The idea that we’re going to take up a 1,300-page bill that no one had ever read, which is what the Senate did, is not going to happen in the House,’ Boehner said. ‘And frankly, I’ll make clear we have no intention of ever going to conference on the Senate bill.’” [Politifact, 1/26/18]
- HEADLINE: “Conservatives, Tea Party Leaders Seek To Block Immigration Bill” [Los Angeles Times, 5/20/13]
In 2006, House Republicans Stalled A Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill That Passed The Senate With 62 Votes
2006: The Senate Passed A Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill By A Vote Of 62 To 38 And Was Commended By President George W. Bush. “The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 passed in the Senate on May 25, 2006, along a 62-36 vote. The bill included provisions to strengthen border security with fencing, vehicle barriers, surveillance technology and more personnel; a new temporary worker visa category; and a path to legal status for immigrants in the country illegally if they met specific criteria. Then-President George W. Bush commended the Senate ‘for passing bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform’ and said he looked forward to working with both chambers.” [Politifact, 1/26/18]
House Republican Leadership Refused To Bring The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill The Senate Passed Up For A Vote On The House Floor. “But the bill was never taken up by the House. The House in December 2005 passed a separate bill with greater focus on border security and enforcement, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. That proposal narrowed in on employment eligibility verification; immigration fraud; and immigration enforcement authority at state and local levels. It did not include a guest worker program or the legalization of immigrants. Instead of voting on the Senate bill, House Republican leaders held a series of summer ‘field hearings’ to get the public to weigh in on controversial provisions in the Senate bill, which Republicans labeled as amnesty. ‘Our No. 1 priority is to secure the border,’ then-House Speaker Dennis Hastert, of Illinois, said in June 2006. ‘And right now I haven’t heard a lot of pressure to have a path to citizenship.’ In September 2006, after meeting with Republican leaders, Hastert said they agreed ‘that we cannot support totally’ a lot of the provisions in the Senate bill, because it ‘would not secure the border. Matter of fact, it erased the border.’ Lawmakers from both chambers never formed a conference committee to iron out the details in both bills and the proposals expired at the end of the 109th Congress.” [Politifact, 1/26/18]
REPUBLICANS’ “OPEN BORDERS” RHETORIC COULD ACTUALLY BE MAKING THINGS WORSE
HEADLINE: “How the Right’s “Open Borders” Myth Might Be Fueling the Migration Crisis” [Vanity Fair, 3/24/23]
U.S. Customs And Border Protection Is One Of The Largest Law Enforcement Agencies In The World. “Every year the United States spends many billions of dollars securing the 2,000-mile border it shares with Mexico. This perpetually growing investment has made Customs and Border Protection—which is staffed by more than 60,000 federal employees—one of the largest law enforcement organizations in the world.” [Vanity Fair, 3/24/23]
Human Smugglers Reportedly Frequently Promote “Open Borders” To Drive Up Business From Migrants Looking Desperately For A Way Into The United States. “Just how this misinformation is reaching migrants is not entirely clear. But it’s well known that human smugglers, who ferry migrants across the border for a fee, have widely promoted the “open borders” lie as a way of driving business, according to Dylan Corbett, executive director of the Hope Border Institute, a nonprofit that works with migrants. ‘Smugglers are constantly peddling that type of misinformation because they’re looking to feed their bottom line,’ he said, noting that traffickers falsely advertise ‘open’ crossings to migrants desperate for a way into the US.” [Vanity Fair, 3/24/23]
Executive Director Of America’s Voice, Vanessa Cardenas, Accused The GOP Of Being The Best Open Border “Propaganda Machine” And Said The Impact Of Disinformation On Migrants Provided Smugglers The Ability To Recruit And Encourage Irregular Migration. “Vanessa Cardenas, the executive director of America’s Voice, said that she, too, has heard accounts of migrants receiving misinformation about the porousness of the border from social media and smugglers. “The best ‘open border’ propaganda machine is, in fact, the GOP,” she said in an interview. “We know the impact this disinformation has on migrants, who largely get information through online platforms. And we know that smugglers take this information and use it for their own purposes––to recruit and encourage irregular migration.” [Vanity Fair, 3/24/23]
CURRENT REPUBLICANS SEEM MORE INTERESTED IN STARTING A WAR WITH MEXICO THAN SOLVING REAL ISSUES
HEADLINE: “These Republicans Want Drone Strikes on Mexico” [Daily Beast, 3/17/23]
Rep. James Comer Claimed Not Bombing Fentanyl And Crystal Meth Labs Across The Southern Border “Was A Mistake” And Did Not Understand Why The Military Didn’t Let President Trump Do It. “Pompeo claimed to have lobbied for drone strikes on America’s neighbor during the Trump administration. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, a Republican, also bemoaned on Fox News last week that the Trump administration had not bombed drug labs across the border. ‘One of the things we learned post-Trump presidency is that he had ordered a bombing of a couple of fentanyl labs, crystal meth labs, in Mexico, just across the border, and for whatever reason the military didn’t do it,’ Comer said on Tuesday. ‘I think that was a mistake.’” [Daily Beast, 3/18/23]
Republicans Rely On Witnesses With Ties To Bad Faith Actor And A Hate Group – Why Are They Being Given A Platform?
WITNESS IN HOUSE JUDICIARY IMMIGRATION HEARING IS AFFILIATED WITH THE CONTROVERSIAL CONSERVATIVE GROUP PROJECT VERITAS
November 2022: Project Veritas Released A Video From Tara Lee Rodas, Who Veritas Claimed Was A Federal Government Whistleblower Talking About How Unaccompanied Minors Were Processed. “Project Veritas released a new video today featuring a whistleblower working within a federal government agency called the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity & Efficiency [CIGIE]. The whistleblower, Tara Lee Rodas, volunteered to assist the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS] with the processing of unaccompanied migrant children and was deployed to the Emergency Intake Site in Pomona, California. Rodas sat down with Project Veritas founder, James O’Keefe, and described how precarious she believes the current child sponsorship program is for these minors.” [Project Veritas, Press Release, 11/29/22]
It’s Well Known That Project Veritas Operates In Bad Faith
The Atlantic: “Project Veritas Operates In Bad Faith.” “If James O’Keefe respected the right-wing populists who make up the audience of Project Veritas, a nonprofit he founded to produce undercover videos skewering the left, he would tell them the truth about all of the organizations that he targets. Instead, Project Veritas operates in bad faith, an attribute it demonstrated again this week in the aftermath of its bungled attempt to trick The Washington Post.” [The Atlantic, 11/28/17]
2022: A Federal Jury Found Project Veritas Guilty Of Violating Wiretapping Laws And Fraudulently Misrepresenting Itself As Part Of A Sting Operation Against Democratic Political Consultants. “A jury in a federal civil case on Thursday found that Project Veritas, a conservative group known for its deceptive tactics, had violated wiretapping laws and fraudulently misrepresented itself as part of a lengthy sting operation against Democratic political consultants. The jury awarded the consulting firm, Democracy Partners, $120,000. The decision amounted to a sharp rebuke of the practices that Project Veritas and its founder, James O’Keefe, have relied on. During the trial, lawyers for Project Veritas portrayed the operation as news gathering and its employees as journalists following the facts.” [New York Times, 9/22/22]
Project Veritas Paid $40,000 To Acquire What Two People, Who Later Pleaded Guilty To Theft, Claimed Was The Diary Of Joe Biden’s Daughter. “A man and a woman from Florida pleaded guilty in a Manhattan federal court on Thursday to stealing the diary of Joe Biden’s daughter during the 2020 election, which they subsequently gave to the conservative group Project Veritas. […] Once they did, they turned it over to a Project Veritas employee in Florida who sent it to New York. Harris and Kurlander were ultimately paid $20,000 each by Project Veritas.” [New York Magazine, 8/25/22]
Project Veritas Received Millions From DonorsTrust, A Conservative Dark Money Group That Funneled Millions Of Dollars Toward Conservative Organizations That Pushed Election Fraud Claims In 2020. “A dark-money group used by Republican donors funneled millions of dollars toward high-profile conservative organizations that pushed and in some cases investigated claims of election fraud either before or after Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump in November. Many of these stances matched points that Trump and his team made as they attempted to undermine the election. […] That funding group, the Donors Trust, is officially labeled as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The designation allows financiers to give to the organization anonymously. That money is then channeled to other dark-money groups. Among the recent pro-Trump groups that have received money from the Donors Trust are: pro-Trump students organization Turning Point USA an anti-immigration organization that has been labeled a hate group Project Veritas, a conservative outfit that specializes in ‘sting’ videos a group founded by a man who pushed false conspiracy theories about former President Barack Obama.” [CNBC, 1/13/21]
- Project Veritas Reportedly Had Secret Sting Operations Planned To “Undermine The Integrity Of Absentee And Mail-In Ballot Counts,” And Pushed A Pennsylvania Postal Worker’s Claim About Mail-In Ballot That The Trump Campaign Cited In A 2020 Election Lawsuit. “Project Veritas, an activist group founded by investigator James O’Keefe, received over $4 million in 2019 from the Donors Trust. In August, The New Republic reported that Project Veritas was secretly moving ahead with sting operations that would ‘undermine the integrity of absentee and mail-in ballot counts.’ […] Project Veritas pushed a Pennsylvania postal worker’s claim about mail-in ballots that the Trump campaign would cite in a lawsuit that eventually went nowhere, according to The Washington Post.” [CNBC, 1/13/21]
- HEADLINE: “Postal Service Finds ‘No Evidence’ Of Project Veritas’ Claim That Mail Workers Tampered With Ballots In The 2020 Election” [Business Insider, 3/18/21]
2017: Washington Post Caught Project Veritas Trying To Pass Off An Operative As A Victim Of Alabama Republican Senate Candidate Roy Moore. “A woman who posed as a victim of Roy Moore, the embattled Republican Alabama Senate candidate whose campaign has been roiled by multiple allegations of misconduct, appeared to be involved in a sting operation meant to disgrace The Washington Post, the newspaper reported Monday. The attempted sting operation failed after Post reporters discovered the woman, who identified herself as Jaime Phillips, was actually working for an organization called Project Veritas, led by the conservative activist James O’Keefe.” [Business Insider, 11/28/17]
2010: Project Veritas Founder James O’Keefe Was Sentenced To Three Years Of Probation, 100 Hours Of Community Service, And A $1,500 Fine After Attempting To Break Into The Phones Of Former Senator Mary Landrieu. “That same year, O’Keefe was sentenced to complete three years probation, log 100 hours of community service, and pay a $1,500 fine after attempting to break into the phones of former Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana. O’Keefe and his assistants had planned to investigate whether Landrieu’s office was ignoring constituents’ calls about the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, but were arrested after impersonating telephone repairmen on allegations they were attempting to tamper with Landrieu’s phones, a felony.” [Business Insider, 11/28/17]
WITNESS IN HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HEARING WORKS AT DESIGNATED HATE GROUP
4/26/23: Center For Immigration Studies Director Of Policy Studies Jessica Vaughn Planned To Testify To The House Judiciary Committee. “The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement will hold a hearing on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. ET. The hearing, ‘The Biden Border Crisis: Exploitation of Unaccompanied Alien Children,’ will examine the unprecedented surge of unaccompanied alien children at the southwest border and how open-border policies enable the exploitation of those children. WITNESSES: Tara Lee Rodas, Health and Human Services Whistleblower, Federal Inspector General Employee Sheena Rodriguez, Founder and President, Alliance for a Safe Texas Jessica Vaughn, Director of Policy Studies, Center for Immigration Studies.” [U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, Hearing, 4/26/23]
Southern Poverty Law Center Designated The Center For Immigration Studies A Hate Group Because Of Its Extreme Anti-Immigrant Work And Repeated Circulation Of White Nationalist And Anti-Semitic Writers. “While CIS and its position within the Tanton network have been on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s (SPLC) radar for years, what precipitated listing CIS as an anti-immigrant hate group for 2016 was its repeated circulation of white nationalist and antisemitic writers in its weekly newsletter and the commissioning of a policy analyst who had previously been pushed out of the conservative Heritage Foundation for his embrace of racist pseudoscience. These developments, its historical associations and its record of publishing reports that hype the criminality of immigrants are why CIS is labeled an anti-immigrant hate group.” [Southern Poverty Law Center, Accessed 4/25/22]
- 2012: Jessica Vaughan Spoke At The Social Contract Writers Workshop, Which Was Known To Attract White Nationalists. “Both Krikorian and his staff are regular attendees at the TSC Writers Workshop, which also attracts white nationalists, and their writings regularly appear in TSC. In 2016, CIS fellow John Miano spoke at the gathering, while Krikorian did the year before, and Jessica Vaughan, CIS’s director of policy studies, spoke in 2012. Krikorian has four pieces published in TSC, and Steve Camarota, the CIS director of research, is published there three times. CIS fellow Don Barnett and CIS board members Frank Morris, and William Chip as well as former member Vernon Briggs are also published in TSC.” [Southern Poverty Law Center, Accessed 4/25/22]
Center For Immigration Studies Reports And Blog Posts Have Been Widely Discredited And Debunked, Including By The Conservative CATO Institute. “CIS reports and blog pieces have also been widely discredited and debunked by such groups as the Immigration Policy Center and CATO Institute, which criticized CIS in 2015 for exaggerating immigrant welfare use. But a number of publications also contain bigoted language demonizing immigrants from all walks of life and making a mockery of CIS’s ‘pro-immigrant’ tagline.” [Southern Poverty Law Center, Accessed 4/25/22]
- February 2017: Washington Post Gave “Three Pinocchios” To Research Jessica Vaughan Created That Was Cited By White House Senior Policy Advisor Steve Miller. “Back in February, The Washington Post gave three Pinocchios to a claim Vaughan made — later repeated by White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller — that 72 individuals from the countries listed in President Trump’s original travel ban had been linked to terrorist activity.” [Oregon Live, 4/11/17]