Just a week before the second term of President Donald Trump, Adriana Espaylat’s representative began to see reports of Puerto Ricans and others who were interrogated and arrested by immigration agents.
So Espoille, New York Democrat, did what the Congress members often do: he wrote To the administration and demanded the answers. It was over 10 weeks ago. Espaillat did not receive an answer.
His experience looks widespread.
At least a dozen congress members, all Democrats, wrote to the Trump administration with pointed issues about voters and other citizens whom immigration agents were interrogated, detained and even even is held under the shot. In one letter of the Democrats in the House of Representatives Committee demanded a list Each citizen detained during a new administration.
No one received the answer.
“What we clearly see is that they do not answer this administration to Congress requests,” said Teresa Fernandez spokesman, Democrat in New Mexico.
Leger Fernandez and others wrote Trump and the Home Security Department on January 28, after receiving complaints from voters and tribal countries that federal agents pressed on tribal citizens in New Mexico for their immigration status, causing concern for racial profiling.
Congress -female and others say Explore the executive department.
“This is a great concern level outside what ice does,” said Leger Fernandez, citing immigration and execution of customs authorities, a DHS branch. “This administration does not seem to recognize the authorities and the authorities and responsibility.”
Norman Orstein, a longtime observer of Congress at the American Institute of the enterprise, said that the lack of transfer of responsibility of previous administrations also disappointed the legislators. But he never saw such a thorough congress.
“It is now clear that Donald Trump’s message and his minions:” You do not need to respond to these people, whether it will be ours or not, “Orstein said, citing Republicans and Democrats.” This is not usual. Nothing is usually the case. “
The White House press secretary denied that the administration was bypassed by Congress or its supervision. “Accepting a permanent resolution that supported our government open and healthy law like The act of Laken Riley They testify to how closely the Trump administration works with Congress, ”Kush said in a statement.
The White House did not answer questions about letters. DHS also did not answer the propublica questions.
Last month PROPUBLICA Detailed as Americans were caught in the administrative Dragnet. Such errors have been made by many administrations for decades. The government often does not take measures to reduce errors, such as updating their files when agents confirm someone’s citizenship. But experts and supporters warn that Trump’s aggressive immigration goals – including ARREST ARTS For law enforcement agencies, it is more likely that citizens are catching up.
Ice and his Nursing Agency, Customs and Border Protection, said propultica in previous statements that the agents are allowed to ask citizens’ identification. The agencies did not give explanations for their actions in most cases, which were conducted by Propublica.
The answers were also difficult to come during Trump’s first term, even when the Democrats controlled the house and had greater power over the hearings.
At a home meeting in 2019 near Compartment of the familyLegislators pressed the then -patrol chief Brian Handings about another question: a three -week detention of a student and high school citizen in Dallas, who was released only after the morning news in Dallas reported what happened.
Hopings said the student never claimed a citizen during his detention – however The newspaper reports The agency’s own documentation noted the opposite. Hopings also refused to give any wide account of how the agency often occupied Americans. “I have no information about specific cases,” he said. (Hopings did not respond to comment requests.)
The New York representative Espaillat takes the position of eight years. He said he often raised immigration questions and problems during the Biden administration and received answers.
Republicans complained about the opposite experience during the Biden administration. Said they The administration did not answer Congress on Immigration issues, forcing legislators to Officials in court for answers. (Administration dismissed by steps as “political position”.)
Espailot said he was not surprised that the Trump administration was silent. “They probably don’t have a good answer.”
