The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee has issued a subpoena to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra after the agency refused to provide information about taxpayer-funded housing for migrants. Committee Chairman Jim Jordan previously requested information in July regarding housing assistance funding and referrals provided to border-crossers by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Despite ongoing discussions since the summer, only seven pages of documents were provided on October 4, which were deemed insufficient and did not encompass all relevant information. Jordan demanded the records be provided by October 30 to fulfill the committee’s constitutional oversight obligations.
Over the past three and a half years, migrants from around the world have entered the US seeking economic opportunities, with many benefiting from taxpayer-funded federal, state, and local programs. In New York City alone, over $5 billion has been spent on services for migrants, including housing, food, and medical costs, since the start of fiscal year 2023. Historical hotels like the Roosevelt in Midtown have been converted into emergency shelters for asylum-seekers, with some migrants receiving prepaid credit cards with a $35 daily allowance through a pilot program that amounted to $53 million spent. A previous report by Jordan’s committee in July outlined various federal benefit programs available to migrants for housing, food, and health care.
Church World Service’s Immigration and Refugee Program, run by Erol Kekic, has assisted many migrants in traveling from border states like Texas to resettlement in “sanctuary” cities such as New York. Kekic has been critical of the Trump administration’s refugee, asylum, and border policies and has continued to support migrants under President Biden’s administration. The partnership between Church World Service and HHS in providing housing resources to migrants has raised concerns regarding the use of taxpayer dollars and the lack of transparency in information provided to the House Judiciary Committee. Despite efforts to obtain requested records since July, the limited documents received have hindered the committee’s ability to fulfill its oversight obligations.
The continued influx of migrants into the US has raised questions about the extent of government assistance provided to support their needs. The conversion of hotels into emergency shelters and the distribution of prepaid credit cards highlight the magnitude of federal spending on services for migrants. The lack of transparency in providing information to congressional committees like the House Judiciary Committee undermines the oversight process and raises concerns about accountability in the use of taxpayer funds. As the Biden administration’s policies on immigration and refugee resettlement continue to evolve, the role of organizations like Church World Service in facilitating the movement of migrants to sanctuary cities has come under scrutiny.
The ongoing dispute between the House Judiciary Committee and HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra regarding the provision of information on taxpayer-funded housing for migrants underscores broader challenges in oversight and accountability within the federal government. The committee’s subpoena and demands for records reflect efforts to ensure transparency and adherence to constitutional obligations in the use of taxpayer funds for migrant assistance programs. The partnership between Church World Service and HHS, along with the allocation of significant resources to support migrants in sanctuary cities, raises questions about the efficacy and fairness of current immigration policies. Addressing these concerns will require collaboration and transparency between government agencies, congressional committees, and advocacy groups to uphold the principles of accountability and oversight in providing services to migrants in need.
