WASHINGTON — In light of the massive surge of illegal border crossings reported last week, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), along with Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas requesting critical information on arrests and apprehensions of illegal aliens.

“This information is vital for public accountability but also for public safety. We are aware of several cases from the field in which ICE officers were directed not to apprehend previously deported aliens that have been convicted of felonies, such as sex crimes against minors. This follows public reporting that interior arrests by ICE dropped to the lowest level on record following the implementation of new enforcement guidance,” wrote the senators. “In order to uphold immigration law and keep our communities safe, we need transparency into which criminal aliens are being allowed to walk free and why.”

Under federal law, when five members of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs request information from an agency within the committee’s jurisdiction, the agency is required to provide that information.

Read the full letter here.

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