Washington, D.C. – Congressman Rob Wittman, Chairman of the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee, released the following statement today following a Readiness Subcommittee briefing titled, “Use of DoD Facilities to House Undocumented Aliens.” The briefing, which sought answers surrounding the Department of Defense’s agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to house a number of unaccompanied and undocumented alien children (UAC) at DoD installations, featured Mr. Joe McMenamin, Principal Director, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense Integration and Defense Support of Civil Authorities.
“One thing is clear today after this briefing: DoD cannot be certain how long this mission will continue. And despite the DoD’s assurances, I remain concerned that the DoD’s commitment to this potentially long-term mission could have significant implications for our overall readiness posture and the general capacity of our armed forces. I also have significant concerns that our men and women in uniform are being tasked with an enduring mission for which they are unprepared, untrained, and ill-equipped. During a time of significant danger around the world and tight budgets, this is a serious risk.”
According to the Congressional Research Service, the number of incoming UAC doubled from FY2008 to 2009. The total in FY2013 was nearly 39,000, and in just the first two-thirds of FY2014, the total was over 47,000. DoD is currently under an agreement with HHS to house the UAC on a temporary basis at domestic bases, including Lackland AFB in Texas, Army base Ft. Sill in Okalahoma, and Naval Base Ventura County in California. Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington is also under consideration. The estimated cost, according to the briefing, is nearly $500,000 per month.
“I’m also concerned for the safety and welfare of these children, who are being housed in a system that is ill-equipped to handle them, with multiple agencies and departments essentially sharing responsibility. At the same time, we must keep in mind the surrounding communities who may be affected. Our witness today asserted that the communities were comfortable with the situation, but was unable to explain the nature of any discussions with these localities. This is not acceptable.”
In the briefing, Wittman pressed DoD’s briefers on the reactions of base residents and base commanders to housing UAC on the base, and also raised questions about the arrangement’s impact on DoD social services, renovations of facilities, and core mission.
“As we move forward, it is absolutely critical that DoD help this committee further understand this decision, including contingency plans in case of necessary posture changes, the long-term nature and duration of DoD involvement, and the ramifications of this mission on our force readiness. The number of UAC has increased exponentially in recent years and could continue to rise, and I fear the precedent that this decision could set. DoD should have consulted with Congress before committing its resources to this mission, and I will continue to push for answers. On a broad level, too, this entire situation highlights the necessity of securing our borders and upholding our existing laws.”
Congressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.
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