Breaking Down Leadership Critiques

California Rep. Troy Nehls, expressing his frustration directly towards Jaddou, stated, “You totally blew
it. The American people are sick and tired, and you should all be fired. Well, you will be shortly because
the American people said, ‘We ain’t going to tolerate this anymore.’” His remarks set the tone for a hearing
characterized by aggressive questioning and harsh criticism.

Adding to the scrutiny, Rep. Tom McClintock, who chairs the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security,
and Enforcement, pointed to declining real wages for working families as an indictment of Jaddou’s stewardship.
“If anyone wonders why real wages for working families have declined under this administration, look no
further than the agency before us today,” McClintock stated.

Concerns Over Process and Protocols

McClintock raised further alarm by highlighting lapses in protocols, specifically regarding the lack of
credible fear interviews conducted for many illegal entrants before their release into the U.S. This was
met with Jaddou’s assertion that USCIS operates on an underfunded model, primarily reliant on applicant
fees. To this, McClintock responded, “Until we opened our borders, those fees were more than adequate to
conduct those interviews and under your administration, they’re not.” This back-and-forth underscored the
tensions regarding funding and operational efficacy.

The Controversial CHNV Program

A significant focus of the committee’s criticism was directed at the CHNV program—an initiative designed
to offer parole to Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans. The program, initiated in January 2023,
permits up to 30,000 migrants from these countries to enter the U.S. monthly. Despite being temporarily
paused in July due to fraud concerns, the program was quickly reinstated, sparking further outrage among
committee members.

“They took a parole authority that required case-by-case review of individual exigent circumstances and
transformed it into a fraud-ridden, mass admission of more than half a million Cubans, Haitians,
Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans—up to 1,000 every day,” McClintock emphasized, illustrating his criticism of
the perceived recklessness in immigration policy.

Chain Migration Allegations

Jaddou faced questions regarding her agency’s vetting processes, particularly related to sponsors under
the CHNV program. McClintock cited concerns that one parolee could arrive, gain indefinite status, and
then sponsor additional migrants, thereby creating a loophole conducive to illegal chain migration. In
response to Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan’s pressing inquiries, Jaddou acknowledged that migrants could indeed
sponsor one another.

“This program is rife with fraud,” Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs asserted, backing this claim with evidence of
numerous instances where identical Social Security numbers, email addresses, and zip codes appeared across
multiple applications. “It’s still ongoing,” he added, indicating that the problems are far from resolved.

Political Fallout and Policy Implications

Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt accused the Biden administration of essentially legalizing illegal immigration,
critiquing how the expansion of the parole program responds to public dissatisfaction with increasing border
crossings. “Biden was upset the American people were complaining about the increase in illegal immigration
numbers at the border,” Hunt said. “So, what did Biden do? He legalized illegal immigration.” This
sentiment resonated among committee members who expressed frustration at perceived failures within the administration.

USCIS’s Defense

Throughout the hearing, Jaddou defended her agency’s posture and practices, characterizing the CHNV program
as “just one piece” of a broader border management strategy. She asserted that both enforcement measures and
humanitarian guidelines are necessary for long-lasting solutions, indicating a commitment to address the multitude
of challenges the immigration system faces.

“It cannot work alone,” she stated regarding the program’s effectiveness. “Neither can enforcement measures
work alone if we want it to be long-lasting, and that’s why this process is important.” This remark aimed to
convey her belief in the value of comprehensive strategies to manage immigration effectively.