Jefferson Reporter

U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) recently joined Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and a bipartisan group of 44 Senate colleagues in introducing a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval to strike down a Biden Administration rule related to unaccompanied migrant children. The resolution aims to enforce reforms within the government’s Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) program.

“The unfortunate reality is that the Biden Administration’s border crisis is both a humanitarian and a national security disaster of historic magnitude. This rule is the latest in a series of inhumane, reckless policies that only pour fuel on the fire. Instead of enabling cartels and other bad actors to traffic and exploit more innocent children, it’s well past time to secure the border and end the lawlessness,” said Senator Britt. “I’ll continue to stand up to President Biden’s dangerous agenda, which is putting American families and vulnerable migrants in harm’s way every single day.”

Senator Grassley added, “The Biden administration ignored warnings from Congress and the Inspector General that its policies put children at risk and instead moved to finalize its current rule. Biden’s Health and Human Services Department has lost tens of thousands of vulnerable kids and handed over many others to abusers and criminals. This exploitation is one of the most heartbreaking tragedies the Biden Border Crisis has created. Since the Biden administration has refused to lift a finger to fix this problem, it’s now up to Congress to put a stop to it.”

Migrant children who enter the U.S. illegally without an adult are detained under the UAC program, managed by the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The HHS UAC program aims to reunify unaccompanied migrant children with family members or trusted adult sponsors residing in the U.S. However, current policies have been criticized for failing to protect these children from potential abuse.

The HHS rule targeted by Senators was finalized in April this year, codifying practices deemed harmful by critics.

The resolution is additionally cosponsored by Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) along with Senators Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.), John Cornyn (R-Tex.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Cindy Hyde-Smith, John Kennedy (R-La.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Kevin Cramer, Thom Tillis, J.D. Vance, Todd Young, Pete Ricketts, Roger Marshall, Mike Crapo, Tom Cotton, Rick Scott, John Hoeven, Joni Ernst, Bill Cassidy, James Lankford, Lindsey Graham, Markwayne Mullin , Marco Rubio , Mike Lee , Josh Hawley , Marsha Blackburn , Deb Fischer , Jerry Moran , Ted Cruz , Dan Sullivan , Mike Rounds , John Barrasso , John Thune , John Boozman , Tim Scott . Full text of the resolution can be viewed here.