House Committee Demands Documents on Migrant Flight Program Freeze

A top House committee is probing the Biden administration's recent suspension of a controversial program that allowed migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to travel directly to the U.S. This investigation follows alarming revelations of fraud within the program, prompting House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green to demand documents and communications regarding the pause. Green described a recent briefing from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as "wholly unsatisfactory," raising concerns about the integrity of the program. The DHS confirmed that the suspension was enacted "out of an abundance of caution" while it reviews supporter applications. An internal report, partially disclosed by the Federation of American Immigration Reform, revealed significant irregularities, including nearly 101,000 forms submitted by just over 3,200 sponsors, some of whom had submitted multiple applications. Disturbingly, the report noted that some applications were linked to deceased individuals and that certain addresses were used excessively, raising red flags about potential fraud. House Republicans expressed frustration over the DHS's lack of transparency during a briefing on August 5, where officials failed to adequately address critical questions regarding the program's suspension and fraud indicators. The committee is now seeking an unredacted version of the internal report and additional documentation related to the program's suspension and fraud safeguards. In response to the revelations, Speaker Mike Johnson called for the program to be permanently shut down, emphasizing the need for rigorous screening processes to prevent further abuse. The DHS maintains that the issues identified pertain to sponsor applications, not the beneficiaries themselves.