WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Rick Scott wrote a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding answers on the Department’s ability to protect and defend the United States following the Biden’s administration failed policies that led to a disastrous and deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan and have created a growing humanitarian and national security crisis at the southern border. Senator Scott is focused on ensuring DHS is taking all necessary steps to protect Americans and the homeland from the national security crises created by the Biden administration’s failed leadership and dangerous policies.  

Read the full letter HERE or below.

September 28, 2021

The Honorable Alejandro Mayorkas

Secretary

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

3801 Nebraska Ave NW

Washington, DC 20016

Dear Secretary Mayorkas,

Two decades ago, the United States experienced one of the darkest days in our history when radical terrorists carried out a horrific attack on American soil that claimed thousands of innocent lives. Our nation is still healing from the impacts of September 11^th today. Shortly after this deadly terrorist attack, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and a corresponding committee in the U.S. Senate—the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC)—were formed with the mission to secure and defend the nation against all threats foreign and domestic. During the nearly two decades since, the men and women of DHS have honorably served and worked to protect America’s national security. Sadly, through no fault of their own, these men and women are now facing multiple national crises directly due to the failed leadership and dangerous polices of the Biden administration. Now, following the completely failed withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the growing humanitarian and national security crisis at the southern border, it is clear that questions must be raised about this administration’s capability to protect the national security of the United States.

In our conversations prior to your confirmation as Secretary of DHS, you vowed to follow and discharge all U.S. laws. Since our conversations, the crisis at our southern border has reached a fever pitch, endangering the lives of millions of Americans. As the border crisis worsens due to President Biden’s failed policies of open borders and amnesty, it fuels horrific human trafficking and drug smuggling by cartels, and leaves defenseless unaccompanied minors subject to human trafficking, violence, sexual abuse, and separation from their families. Furthermore, due to President Biden’s catastrophically failed withdrawal from Afghanistan, we have lost 13 U.S. service members and now face a new threat of unvetted and dangerous terrorists being welcomed into the United States undetected.

While DHS exists to implement policies that protect Americans, the inexcusable failures I have outlined make clear that additional oversight is needed to ensure DHS is properly protecting the U.S. while in this highly vulnerable posture, and I ask for your immediate response to the following questions:

• Are you following and enforcing all the laws related to ensuring the safety of the U.S. and its citizens?
• What measures are the Biden administration and DHS taking to guard against Afghanistan being used once again as a terrorist haven—as it was prior to September 11, 2001?
• What specifically is DHS and the Biden administration doing to prevent another terror attack from being planned and carried out against the United States or our citizens abroad?
• Has DHS identified information on any emerging threats to the homeland from Afghanistan since August 31, 2021?
• Is DHS coordinating intelligence with the appropriate intelligence agencies on potential threats from Afghanistan that put the homeland at risk?
• How is DHS coordinating and sharing credible intelligence and information with state and local law enforcement and partners on threats against the U.S. that have originated in Afghanistan or by the Taliban since August 31, 2021?
• Is DHS allocating new resources to mitigate emerging threats from Afghanistan? If not, why?
• Are you confident that all Afghan refugees evacuated from Afghanistan and brought to the United States since August 31, 2021 have been properly vetted and pose no risk or threat to the homeland?
• How many individuals that were evacuated from Afghanistan have been refused entry to the United States? On what basis were these individuals refused entry?

It is our sworn duty to protect our nation against threats, both foreign and domestic. Therefore, it is essential that we work together to ensure the safety of Americans—that must always be our top priority. I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Rick Scott

United States Senator

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