House Judiciary Panel Subpoenas Biden-Harris Administration Over Taxpayer-Subsidized Homes for Illegal Immigrants

Virginia's Fort Pickett Houses Afghan Refugees As Part Of Their Resettlement — (Photo : (Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images)) Clothing hangs to dry on the stairs of a barracks use to house Afghans at Fort Pickett on December 16, 2021 in Blackstone, Virginia. Fort Pickett normally operates as an Army National Guard maneuver training center, but converted its capabilities to house up to 10,000 Afghan refugees as of August 28, 2020. Approximately 5,500 refugees have been resettled in permanent housing, and the camp is beginning the process of being descoped as Operation Allies Welcome comes to a close.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-OH, has subpoenaed the Biden-Harris administration over the cost of housing illegal immigrants.

In a letter addressed to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, Jordan demanded that his questions be answered about the cost the federal government has spent on a taxpayer-subsidized program that houses illegal migrants.

Jordan also noted that the HHS's Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) has been sent numerous requests for information on its role in providing housing assistance for "refugees and other aliens" in the country, as reported by The Washington Examiner, which reviewed the letter.

Has the ORR Not Complied With the Requests?

The committee noted that while the ORR previously complied with requests to send information, the documents they received did not include anything "of substance and cannot possibly encompass all relevant documents and communications in HHS's possession or control."

The committee is now compelling the ORR to hand over any documents related to the taxpayer-subsidized housing program for migrants by Oct. 30.

What Led to the Committee's Probe?

The subpoena is the latest in a Republican-led push to examine the Biden administration's handling of illegal immigration into the US, especially as the border crisis is one of the top concerns in the November elections.

The US has seen a flood of immigrants for nearly the past four years, leading some cities and states to spend more on services for migrants.

In New York City, for example, the total spending on services for illegal immigrants surpassed $6 billion since the start of the fiscal year of 2023. This amount is also expected to double by next year, per data from the city's online asylum-seeker funding tracker.

The city has spent $2.4 billion in housing and rent, $2.5 billion in services and supplies, $433 million in food, and $152 million in medical services for immigrants.

Part of the costs also went to the 141-room Square Hotel across from Gershwin Theater on Broadway, which was converted into an emergency shelter for migrants and asylum seekers.