1 00:00:02,066 --> 00:00:05,000 AMNA NAWAZ: In its first hearing of the year, the House Judiciary Committee focused on immigration 2 00:00:07,466 --> 00:00:10,066 and how that Biden administration has handled record high numbers at the U.S. Southern border. 3 00:00:10,066 --> 00:00:12,700 Lisa Desjardins has been following it all, 4 00:00:12,700 --> 00:00:17,700 and has this look at how Republicans are making border security a key part of their agenda. 5 00:00:19,100 --> 00:00:23,100 LISA DESJARDINS: Wielding their new power, House Republicans 6 00:00:24,666 --> 00:00:27,500 hammered the Biden administration over its handling of the border. 7 00:00:27,500 --> 00:00:32,500 REP. JEFF VAN DREW (R-NJ): It is Biden's problem because, in two years, it's radically changed. 8 00:00:35,066 --> 00:00:37,533 LISA DESJARDINS: The House Judiciary Committee is packed with Freedom Caucus and other harder-line 9 00:00:37,533 --> 00:00:41,500 conservatives focused on the border, including Texas Congressman Chip Roy. 10 00:00:41,500 --> 00:00:43,766 REP. CHIP ROY (R-TX): That is 2020 to 2022, 11 00:00:43,766 --> 00:00:47,566 almost 1,000 migrant deaths at the Southwest border of the United States. 12 00:00:47,566 --> 00:00:49,433 REP. ANDY BIGGS (R-AZ): The border is dangerous. 13 00:00:51,500 --> 00:00:56,466 Drugs pour across, international terrorists, criminal gang members. 14 00:00:58,533 --> 00:01:02,400 LISA DESJARDINS: U.S. Customs and Border Protection saw a record 2.3 million encounters 15 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:07,400 with migrants in the Southwest last fiscal year, driven by spike in migrants from Venezuela, 16 00:01:09,366 --> 00:01:12,700 Nicaragua, and Cuba, with many repeated attempts by the same individuals. 17 00:01:14,500 --> 00:01:17,666 The hearing was parts heated and sharp accusations from Republicans. 18 00:01:17,666 --> 00:01:20,633 REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): Month after month after month, we have set records 19 00:01:20,633 --> 00:01:25,633 for migrants coming into the country. And, frankly, I think it's intentional. 20 00:01:27,033 --> 00:01:28,666 LISA DESJARDINS: Part ardent defense from Democrats, 21 00:01:28,666 --> 00:01:30,800 who say Republicans are being political. 22 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,333 REP. VERONICA ESCOBAR (D-TX): There's no one who wants a safe, 23 00:01:33,333 --> 00:01:38,333 secure, well-managed border than those of us who live and work on the border. 24 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:45,100 REP. TED LIEU (D-CA): This hearing is titled Biden's border crisis. That is completely 25 00:01:47,033 --> 00:01:50,933 wrong. It is not Biden's border crisis. This has been a crisis for over half-a-century. 26 00:01:50,933 --> 00:01:55,900 LISA DESJARDINS: And it was part trying to grasp the problem with U.S. policy at the border. 27 00:01:57,133 --> 00:01:59,233 Sheriff Mark Dannels of Cochise County, Arizona. 28 00:01:59,233 --> 00:02:01,366 MARK DANNELS, Cochise County, Arizona, Sheriff: I work with many Border Patrol agents, 29 00:02:01,366 --> 00:02:05,900 federal agents, and, to date, I have not heard one say that it is working. 30 00:02:05,900 --> 00:02:07,833 LISA DESJARDINS: Indeed, along the border, 31 00:02:07,833 --> 00:02:11,100 some in law enforcement say their officers are overwhelmed. 32 00:02:11,100 --> 00:02:15,700 CLINT MCDONALD, Southwest Border Sheriff's Coalition: The influx of people, the mass 33 00:02:15,700 --> 00:02:20,700 quantities of people that are invading our border, our Border Patrol cannot keep up with it. 34 00:02:22,666 --> 00:02:26,633 LISA DESJARDINS: Clint McDonald is the executive director of the Texas and Southwest Border 35 00:02:26,633 --> 00:02:31,633 Sheriff's Coalition. He is critical of Biden policy and says Border Patrol is struggling. 36 00:02:32,766 --> 00:02:35,200 CLINT MCDONALD: They are undermanned, 37 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:37,700 overworked and are falling behind every day. So, our sheriffs are having to put on hold 38 00:02:40,966 --> 00:02:45,966 the citizens that elected them to office to try to help with this immigration problem. 39 00:02:48,066 --> 00:02:52,566 Our sheriffs do not want to be immigration officers, but they are forced into that role now. 40 00:02:54,566 --> 00:02:57,666 LISA DESJARDINS: But others working on border issues argue the U.S. needs to be more open, 41 00:02:57,666 --> 00:03:00,566 not less, to the flood of asylum seekers. 42 00:03:00,566 --> 00:03:03,166 Dylan Corbett is an advocate who works with migrants. 43 00:03:03,166 --> 00:03:05,733 DYLAN CORBETT, Executive Director, Hope Border Institute: We are concerned that, 44 00:03:05,733 --> 00:03:10,533 two years into the administration's, we have not fully restored asylum at the border and we are 45 00:03:10,533 --> 00:03:15,333 seeing steps in the opposite direction, that this administration is embracing some of the policies 46 00:03:15,333 --> 00:03:20,200 of the previous administration to manage in a long-term way immigration at the border. 47 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,733 LISA DESJARDINS: Back at today's hearing, the mixed search for light... 48 00:03:23,733 --> 00:03:26,266 REP. JOE NEGUSE (D-CO): And I'd love to be able to have a thoughtful conversation with 49 00:03:26,266 --> 00:03:29,766 my colleagues on the other side of the aisle about these different prescriptive proposals. 50 00:03:29,766 --> 00:03:31,800 LISA DESJARDINS: ... and heat... 51 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:34,066 REP. JIM JORDAN: Last Congress, they controlled everything. Joe Biden is 52 00:03:34,066 --> 00:03:36,633 a Democrat in the White House. The Senate was controlled by the 53 00:03:36,633 --> 00:03:39,433 Democrats and the House was controlled by the Democrats. Why didn't they fix it then? 54 00:03:39,433 --> 00:03:43,500 LISA DESJARDINS: ... revealed little new, but opened what could be a significant debate. 55 00:03:43,500 --> 00:03:48,500 Republicans plan more hearings and say they hope to write legislation in coming weeks. 56 00:03:49,633 --> 00:03:51,633 For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Lisa Desjardins.