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DESJARLAIS SENDS LETTER TO ICE DEPUTY DIRECTOR
October 3, 2024
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) –Congressman Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-04) authored a letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deputy Director Patrick Lechleitner requesting answers for the lack of data and tracking of illegal migrant juveniles committing crimes and that there is no vetting process for juvenile border crossers.
“In addition to the 662,566 illegal aliens with criminal records that are freely roaming the U.S., creating broad national security risks, it appears that no government entity is currently tracking undocumented minors with criminal history, nor are minors attempting to seek entry undergoing any sort of vetting process,” DesJarlais states in his letter.
The Tennessee congressman points out that there is a growing number of reports around the U.S. of illegal alien juveniles who are committing violent crimes. In his own state of Tennessee just this last summer three illegal migrant teenagers robbed a gun store. And in New York City where an 11-year-old undocumented boy was arrested for being the primary aggressor in a subway robbery. Also in Louisiana, Governor Landry has stated that several gangs are recruiting undocumented minors to commit crimes on their behalf.
"These stories represent just a few of the mounting criminal reports nationwide. It is baffling to me and millions of other Americans that even though there has been a significant number of crimes reported amongst juvenile illegal immigrants, the Biden-Harris Administration has not instituted any type of vetting for gang affiliation or a simple criminal background check of minors crossing the border illegally,” he wrote.
Rep. DesJarlais concluded the letter by asking Lechleitner a comprehensive series of questions about the number of undocumented minors committing crimes and the vetting process for juvenile border crossers.
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Congressman DesJarlais’ full letter to Deputy Director Lechleitner can be found here.