The Week in Review

Happy Friday!

I spent most of my week in Washington D.C. as the House was back in session. It was a busy week, so I hope you'll read below to learn about the important happenings. 

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas House Judiciary Hearing

On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testified at the House Judiciary Committee hearing. As usual, the Secretary could not answer any questions regarding the state of our border and how he intends to end the Biden Border Crisis.

Secretary Mayorkas repeatedly claimed that the southern border is secure, admitted that he supports a full-blown amnesty for the nation’s illegal alien population, that the 800,000 or so illegal aliens released so far into the country would ‘undoubtedly’ commit crimes, and that he won’t remove the 1.2 million illegal aliens who have received due process and been ordered to leave the country. 

Instead of working to secure our border, the Secretary has made politically correct pronouns, extensive climate change plans, and equity programs a majority priority of his. Mayorkas’s testimony indicated pretty clearly that he is more interested in implementing woke policies than securing the border.

Secretary Mayorkas is destroying U.S. sovereignty, neglecting the crisis at our southern border, and simply not protecting the Homeland. The law requires Secretary Mayorkas to prevent illegal entries, but instead of preventing illegal entries his policies are encouraging them. If he disagrees with the Biden administration’s illegal, open-border policies he should resign. If he supports those policies then he should be impeached. 

To view my interaction with the Secretary, click the image below. 

Staff Sgt. Alexander Conrad Facility Naming 

On Saturday, I spoke at the renaming ceremony of the Staff Sgt. Alexander W. Conrad Veterans Affairs Health Care Clinic in Gilbert. Staff Sgt. Conrad tragically passed away while serving in Africa in 2018.

I’m grateful that we were finally able to pass legislation to rename the Southeast Veterans Affairs Health Care Clinic in his honor. Alexander’s service and dedication to this country are much appreciated and won’t be forgotten. 

Oversight of Federal Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking Hearing 

As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Committee, I led a hearing on the oversight of federal efforts to combat human trafficking on Wednesday. 

The Biden Administration’s open-border policies have facilitated human trafficking at our southern border and it must come to an end. The cartels, transnational criminal organizations, and human trafficking groups are profiting immensely because President Biden and his Department of Homeland Security won’t enforce the laws and refuse to secure our southern border. 

According to a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) report from February of last year, traffickers made a total of $411 million dollars in the month of February alone. Cartels and other criminal organizations charge up to $5,000 to smuggle children across the border and more than $10,000 to smuggle adults.

I’d like to thank Sheriff Mark Dannels of Cochise County, Arizona, and Center for Immigration Studies Director of Policy Studies Jessica Vaughan for testifying at the hearing.  

Click below to view my opening statement from the hearing:

Congressman Biggs, Senator Johnson Lead Effort to Repeal Biden Administration Asylum Rule That Would Exacerbate Border Crisis

This week I led a group of 37 House Republicans to partner with Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) and 30 Republican senators and introduced a resolution to repeal the Biden Administration's latest asylum rule. We introduced a "joint resolution of disapproval" under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to block President Biden’s new asylum screening rule. 

Instead of promulgating new rules, the Biden Administration should end its illegal catch and release policies and enforce the law. This proposed rule weakens the integrity of our asylum system and will facilitate mass illegal alien incursions. the Biden Administration should reimplement Trump Administration policies that worked to secure our border.

Read more about the resolution in Fox News.

Letters and Legislation

Letter to DHS Sec. Mayorkas regarding the inadequate FY21 ICE report that was recently sent to Congress requesting that DHS provide all figures, tables, charts, and data found in the FY20 report.

Letter to AG Garland and ATF Acting Director Richardson requesting that ATF immediately rescind ATF’s recent unconstitutional rule entitled “Definition of ‘Frame or Receiver’ and Identification of Firearms.”

Letter to DHS regarding its recent announcement that it will adopt a number of new policies related to gender identity, including allowing travelers to select an “X” gender marker, modifying security screening procedures for transgender-identifying travelers, and requiring CBP agents to use gender-neutral terms and pronouns.

Letter to Eric Schwerin, the former President of Hunter Biden’s company, Rosemont Seneca Partners, regarding him receiving and facilitating the transfer of then-Vice President Joe Biden’s tax refund check to Hunter Biden.

Letter to DHS Sec. Mayorkas that the Biden Administration is actively working to sabotage the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) to allow for the release of illegal border crossers in the United States.

Letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas blasting the Biden administration’s newly created “Disinformation Governance Board” calling for all documents and communications regarding the creation of the board, selection of its executive director, and how DHS determines what constitutes “disinformation.” 

Drop Zone 2022 Recap 

On Saturday, I held my 3rd Drop Zone event at Tri-City Baptist Church in Chandler. Drop Zone is a resource fair for veterans, seniors, and their families to gain access to the services they need. Services included free haircuts, VA representatives, taxpayer advocate services, the Arizona Caregiver Coalition, Senior Advisors of the East Valley, and more. 

Veterans and their loved ones deserve the resources and care they rightfully earned. This year’s event was a tremendous success and I’m grateful to have helped out hundreds of Arizonans. I’d like to thank my District team, Tri-City Baptist Church, and our numerous vendors for the hard work and effort that went into this special event. And Arizona’s veterans for the sacrifices they’ve made in service to our nation. We will see you all next year!

A recap video of the event may be watched here. 

2022 Congressional Art Competition Vote 

Please stop by the Communiversity at Queen Creek (21740 S Ellsworth Rd Queen Creek, AZ 85142) this weekend and next week to vote on this year’s Congressional Art Competition. The competition is open to all high school students that reside in the fifth district. 

Once you view the artwork, you may text to vote your favorite pieces. Text to vote will be available Friday, April 29, 2022, through Wednesday, May 4, 2022. 

Hours:

Friday                  9AM–5PM

Saturday              Closed

Sunday                Closed

Monday               9AM–6PM

Tuesday               9AM–6PM

Wednesday          9AM–6PM

This year’s awards reception will be held on Thursday, May 5, 2022 from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm MST where Congressman Biggs will announce the winners.

Service Academies Conference 2022 

Representatives of the Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, Military and Naval Academies will explain the unique academic, career, and military opportunities each school offers. I will lead this event with Representatives Schweikert and Lesko. We will also be present to explain the required Congressional application and nomination process. 

When: Saturday, May 7, 2022 10 am-1:00 pm MST 

Where: Saguaro High School-Auditorium 6250 N. 82nd ST. Scottsdale, Arizona 85250

Cost: Free

RSVP: https://schweikert.house.gov/academy-rsvp/

Phone: 480-946-2411

Top Media Appearances of the Week

On Monday, I joined Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight to discuss how migrant caravans are outnumbering immigration authorities 50 to 1 in some regions and the environmental impact of illegal immigration at the southern border. Click below to watch the full segment.

On Thursday, I joined One America News Network’s In Focus with Stephanie Hamill to discuss President Biden’s unexplained $5.2 million in income and updates on the Ukraine/Russia conflict. Click below to watch the full segment. 

On Friday, I joined KFYI-AM’s James T. Harris to react to the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ hearing at the House Judiciary Committee and Leader McCarthy’s leaked audio from this week. Click below to hear the full segment.

What’s the Biggs Idea? Podcast Returns with New Video Format

On Thursday, I relaunched my podcast, “What’s the Bigg’s Idea?” in a new video format. The inaugural episode was live-streamed on my Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube pages and garnered close to 10,000 views in 24 hours. 

Congressman Matt Gaetz from Florida's first district served as the episode’s first guest. We reacted to the Alejandro Mayorkas House Judiciary Committee hearing and commented on Leader Kevin McCarthy’s leaked audio that created turmoil within the Republican Party this week. 

We’ll be posting more of these episodes soon. Check out our social media pages for more updates! 

Click the image below to view the podcast.

Top Tweets of the Week

Definition of the Week 

This week, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas claimed that the nation has “effectively managed” the ongoing border crisis even though border encounters have hit historic highs, drugs continue to pour into the country at unprecedented rates, and the human trafficking industry at the border has been more profitable than ever. 

Mayorkas has not effectively managed the ongoing border crisis, which is why I introduced Articles of Impeachment against him in August. 

Courtesy of Michael Knowles’ Speechless, here’s what we think is the latest definition: 

Effectively managed: a euphemism for creating a disaster.