WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Mike Garcia (CA-25) joined House Committee on Appropriations Republican Members, including Republican Leader Kay Granger (TX-12), in sending a letter to Vice President Kamala Harris urging her to provide Congress an update on the crisis at the southern border.
 
“We are alarmed by the staggering number of migrants that have been apprehended while illegally crossing the southwest border during this Administration’s first 100 days. As the President’s designee to address the flow of migrants at our border, we are writing to seek an update on the results of the 60-day pause and review of border wall construction contracts and to insist that funds appropriated for border security be used immediately to address this crisis,” the lawmakers wrote.
 
On the first day of President Biden’s administration, a sixty-day pause and review was placed on the border wall construction. The Biden administration has yet to provide Congress with any information regarding the status of the funds that were appropriated by Congress to build the border wall.
 
“We are concerned that taxpayer funds are being wasted while this pause continues. Making matters worse, the Administration proposes to cancel any unused border wall funding at the end of fiscal year 2021, just five months from now, while refusing to make such funds available for obligation in the meantime,” the lawmakers wrote.   
 
In the letter, the lawmakers urged Vice President Harris to provide the results of the administration’s review, including the metrics that are being used to determine whether continued construction will occur.
 
“Border wall construction funds were appropriated by the Congress as a result of bipartisan, bicameral negotiations and should be spent as provided in law. As you can see by the unprecedented number of apprehensions reported by Customs and Border Protection, we are in a state of emergency that requires action, not delay in spending the funds Congress has already made available,” the lawmakers wrote.

Click here to read the full letter.

Garcia recently spoke on the House Floor where he shared his continued concerns on the border crisis and urged the need for the administration to address the crisis. Watch his remarks here.