Chairman Thompson Demands Subpoenaed DHS Documents as the Department Continues to Stonewall Investigation into Deaths of Children in CBP Custody
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf on the Committee’s ongoing investigation of the circumstances surrounding the deaths of children in U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody and the policies and procedures regarding medical care for children in CBP custody.
Despite the fact that the Committee originally requested documents into this matter as far back as January 2019 – and issued a bipartisan subpoena for these documents in November 2019 – the Department of Homeland Security continues to stonewall the Committee’s investigation. The Department has failed to provide the all requested documents relevant to the investigation have been submitted to the Committee, as required by law. In the letter, Chairman Thompson also requests the production of new documents relevant to the investigation.
Specifically, the Committee is investigating the policies and protocols guiding the medical assessment of children taken into custody by CBP. The Committee is also investigating how children who have been diagnosed with communicable illnesses are managed while in CBP custody.
“The Department’s failure to provide in a timely manner the documents requested—and subsequently subpoenaed—by the Committee has significantly impeded the Committee’s investigation of this critical issue,” wrote Chairman Thompson. “The Committee requests the immediate and complete production of all documents required by the subpoena issued by the Committee on November 20, 2019.”
Link to letter with timeline and documents requested
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