Tennessee’s senior U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R) wants to know why the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services hasn’t provided more transparency throughout the six months since she inquired about the status of 85,000 missing migrant children.
According to Open The Book’s report, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement lost more than 85,000 children and its cost US taxpayers more than $13 billion this past decade.
In an official statement, Sen. Blackburn accused Secretary Xavier Becerra of ignoring her request for documentation about his knowledge of potential child exploitation and the department’s retaliation against whistleblowers.
“Your agency’s written response to my inquiry, which you did not even take the time to write yourself, was completely inadequate and an insult to the duty of oversight entrusted to the United States Senate, Blackburn said. “I asked you specifically about your knowledge of this crisis and your involvement in the alleged whistleblower retaliation that has taken place under your watch, yet your Assistant Secretary declined to answer a single question. Additionally, I asked you to provide the documents you received regarding the potential exploitation of these migrant children, but Assistant Secretary Hild failed to produce a single document.”
In the same letter, Blackburn characterized Sen. Becerra’s response as a dereliction of duty.
“Your department’s lack of urgency on this matter, and your continued refusal to provide information about the amount of time you spent in California instead of fulfilling your duties in-person, speaks volumes regarding your mishandling of this crisis. The American people, and the families of the 85,000 migrant children that this administration lost, deserve answers about your role in this grave dereliction of duty.
Since 2004, O’Hern has worked with political campaigns in roles ranging from major projects involving nationwide digital marketing for U.S. Presidential candidates, U.S. Congressmen, state governors, and state representatives. O’Hern’s journalism background includes news reporting and editing for various organizations and news publications in Alabama and Florida since 2002. O’Hern graduated from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala with a degree in journalism and a minor in political science.