'How many? Just the number!' DHS secretary grilled about letting illegal immigrants 'stay forever' with 'Disney fast pass' immigration app

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas appeared unable to report how many illegal aliens (out of approximately 2 million border-crossers) had been deported, when asked by Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz (Fla.).

During a hearing before the House Committee on the Judiciary on Capitol Hill, Mayorkas was subject to intense questioning from Republican congressmen. The head of the DHS was accused of letting illegal immigrants "stay forever" if they hadn't committed a certain type of aggravated felony.

"Of those two million-plus that you've encountered and released, how many have you told to go home?" Rep. Gaetz asked.

"Congressman, individuals who are released or placed in immigration enforcement proceedings under the law, where they can make their claim for relief, if their claim for relief is not satisfied, they are subject to removal from the United States," Mayorkas answered.

"Subject to removal sounds very different from 'actually removed.' I'm not interested in the process, I'm not interested in what people are subject to. ... Two million people encountered and released, not the expulsions under Title 42, not the criminals. How many of those people have you deported?" Gaetz reiterated.

"Congressman, a few points. Number one —" Mayorkas replied before Gaetz interjected.

"Just how many of the people? I just want to know how many? Just the number!"

"Congressman, we are dealing with a completely broken immigration system," the DHS secretary claimed.

After more of the same, Gaetz then attempted to summarize what he believes to be Mayorkas' doctrine when it comes to illegal immigration: "The Mayorkas doctrine is this. If you show up at the border and get released into the country, if you don't commit a specific aggravated felony ... you get to stay forever. Is that a fair characterization of your doctrine?"

"No, that is false," Mayorkas said.

Gaetz also accused the DHS of having "digitized illegal immigration" and scaling it "to the moon." The Florida representative then characterized the immigration application used by hopeful migrants as a "Disney fast pass" that never subjects them to any "actual removal."

Republican Rep. Jim Jordan from Ohio also heavily criticized Mayorkas, saying that he wanted to "paint a rosy picture" of the "disastrous mismanagement" of the U.S.-Mexico border.

"Here's what administration officials have told us," Jordan remarked. "Biden administration's policies have lead to more national security threats. Biden administration policies make it less likely that enforcement actions will be taken against criminal aliens."

"Millions of foreign nationals have indebted themselves to the smuggling cartels to get to this country ... because they know that more likely than not, they will be allowed to stay in the United States once they get here," Jordan added.

The Ohio politician also noted that the United States has suffered through 29 consecutive months of over 100,000 illegal border encounters.

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