Receive lifesaving treatment from our pioneering doctors and hospitals and researchers and we do not expect the government to implement life denying. Last month without notifying congress the u. S. Citizen and Immigration Services, u. S. Dif, denied all nonmilitary deferred action requests most of these requests are made by sick immigrants and their families who seek to stay in the United States to receive critical medical care that is simply not available to them in their home countries. The administration decided to cast out some of the most vulnerable and defenseless people on earth and there are families across america whose children would essentially be sentenced to death eventually by this stunningly harsh and cruel policy. You were invited to participate in the medical study in her to be that extended her Life Expectancy by ten years. She relies on a weekly infusion is unavailable in her country and she will tell you about it. Mr. Sanchez whom i have met suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, a disease that my family knows well and i am also the proud representative of the Cystic Fibrosis foundation in Montgomery County which has led a campaign that is absolutely transformed the treatment of the fibrosis in primary medical research in that disease and jonathans parents lost his older sister to the disease due to dramatically inferior and substandard medical care in honduras. They will tell about facing the prospect to be sent back there. Joaquin is from the United States suffered a seizure and was diagnosed with epilepsy, visiting his grandparents who are u. S. Citizens. Thanks to deferred action is compared did not send them back where continuing treatment with infection and the removal of his large intestine was impossible. His mother fears of returning home would be signing his death warrant. Serena, 14 yearold, with a congenital heart condition is already gone beyond the Life Expectancy given to her by doctors in spain. An eight yearold girl in miami suffering from nerve cancer relies on her dad to take her to monthly treatments in new york for her father needs deferred action to stay with his daughter. A man from venezuela has been able to care for his wife who suffers from a brain blood malformation and his daughter has metastatic stage iv neuroblastoma at the administration told them to leave the country this month or to face deportation. This new policy threatens sick immigrants who may be forced to leave america and and their lifesaving treatment. It friends u. S. Citizens and lawful residents to rely on immigrant Family Members for financial and emotional support while they are here. It friends crucial medical research and progress by undermining Clinical Trials that rely on the [inaudible] officials responsible for this policy must be held accountable with their recklessness and failure to take even the most basic steps to determine the incalculable harm that would have resulted from this policy. Administrations decision to expel these immigrants with has been exacerbated by the limited time they were given leave according to medical experts 33 days is not nearly enough time to even attempt to arrange for proper continuity of medical care overseas. Four days u. S. Eis and i squabbled about who was responsible for the decision and how to implement it and whether there were indeed a new process or stay of request. As a bickered families were left in a panic with an allconsuming dread in terror u. S. Dif claimed ice wouldve considered it a state request but i still nine those reports. The only recourse ice offers would require vulnerable families to risk deportation before they can request a stay of removal. This is the unnecessary Collateral Damage facing every family caught between this bureaucratic tugofwar between u. S. Eis and ice. It appears no one either agency contemplated or cared about the fall and locations of this change for the families involved. This administrations recent socalled reversal of the policy does not result the lifeanddeath conferences faced by many more families. After the heartwrenching reality became public the administration backtracked and announced it would reopen all deferral requests that were pending on august 7 but they are Still Critical questions left unanswered and will anyone who applied after august 7 is eligible for release. Does the imagination plan to grant relief to those who have reopened applications connect what will happen to families that are currently receiving deferred action but will need to reapply once there to your stay expires connect without answers to these key questions demonstrations reversal appears primarily aimed at avoiding a tidal wave of criticism from the public it gives the appearance of change without necessarily altering the essence of the policy. Administration Must Immediately and completely reverse this policy continue granting deferred action requests in cases of people here today and the like them. There are people who applied after august 7 were still facing the 33 day deadline to leave america and a deadline that will arrive within days or weeks thats unacceptable. There is no justification for the incompetence of this decision and no excuse for the recklessness displayed by our government in this whole affair. I look forward tos studying this rigorous analysis of the fence in a discussion of how we can move Forward Together to repair the damage. Its not my honor to recognize our testing was drinking member, mr. Roy from texas for his opening statement. Thank you, distinguished chairman. Its nice to be back here. Appreciate the witnesses taking time out of your schedule and lines for being here and i appreciate your testimony today. I think as we gather here today its important to remember and reflect that today is september 11 that we as a nation reflect on the tragedy of the terrorist attacks 18 years ago today a number of us on a bipartisan basis gather the capital steps with a moment of silence and hearts and prayers and those affected by it but importantly we remember those who in the lawenforcement affinity First Responders ran toward the building and want to thank all our lawenforcement communities including you and your life of Public Service and lawenforcement supporting the United States. I would also note that i want to thank the german for moving the hearing today. There was discussion occurring in august last week wouldve been difficult to make it so invited this week so we can have better attendance. As we discussed this topic is an important topic in perspective is important. This past summer facing an unprecedented surge in migrants crossing into our country is a growing humanitarian crisis in our border and at the end of august opinions for the fiscal year around 818,000 and already outpaced the total for meeting which was 521,000. Wheezing agencies as Border Patrol and ice struggling to fulfill the mission and the committee is held three hearings in the month of july number one on it immigration and Border Security with the august separately made a visit today just intel texas and pleased to be joined by my from the gentleman from ohio as well as my friend from texas to seat was occurring in our open border. Important conversations to have as a member of farmers in america and it is a question we should be compassionate and do the right thing and help those in need. Question is we are a nation of laws and a nation of 70 and we are willing and what question i think the supports to ask is are we willing to send a clear message of what those laws are and figure out how to navigate within a system of rules and laws so we can understand how it impacts our nation who pays for health care what the expectations are. My understanding for example if the average number of cases were talking about today is about 1000 a year, give or take. Its important number. These are real people and for each one of those thousands this is extremely important we need to figure out the right processes to make them work. Lets keep in mind were talking about a thousand cases right now as we discussed we felt almost 900,000 people who have crossed and been apprehended into our country. Thats a nervous number of almost 600,000 and have been caught and released into our nation with a matter of fact weve had a significant onslaught for cbp and ice were trying to figure out what to do and have an overwhelmed system but the cia is overwhelmed. Entire systems bulging at the seams because we, this body, refused to do our job. Simply put we are not to adopt in clear signals and to make sure the resources are there adequately to deal with the situation at hand. Lets think about the people who deserve our compassion. I think those people, all the people, were talking about here deserve our compassion including those of those 500,000 i just talked about who are abused on a journey because theyre going through a tough journey elicit equal organizations in mexico who are often in stash houses and often being held for ransom, women, girls, abused on the journey and we ignore that what we talk about how great open borders are for some reason in the false name of compassion of how good that is. Lets talk about the 600,000 caught and released in a perpetual cycle in the United States must talk about Human Trafficking in this country getting worse because were allowing illegal organizations to extend in our community. Lets talk about the compassion of lawenforcement personnel, cbp, ice and other agents who have been overwhelmed and being trashed on a daily basis by members of the United States congress. Trashed with deceitful and outright lies disparaging lawenforcement officers doing their job. Today we discussed medical deferred action i think we should ask serious questions. Does the process we have work . Does anyone left outside looking in the does not know what the rules of the road argument is establish the rules of the road and follow them. But send clear signals as to what those are and let them operate in a humane and compassionate way. What agency is best situated to handle dentist questions for those seeking healthcare . Lets answer those questions honestly and not hide behind rhetoric and left to send a clear message what are the rules and follow. Im encouraged today the agencies are here to correct any information or misinformation about the current status depending deferred action. My understanding is u. S. Cif 791 referred request pending between august 7 and september 5 denial letters one to 124 requests. All of those 420 claims have been reopened and will be reevaluated. Certainly let you know the question as to what happened and how that occurred in the now the reversal of that. I think should look into that. U. S. Cif did not issue an issue to appear in dh for those 420 requests. In saga seven u. S. Cif has rejected 40 deferred action request since september 5 there been no additional requests. We can look in and make sure thats true. Historically u. S. Cif has been the only agency to grant deferred action not in removal proceedings. Deferred action can be revoked at any time. Determining deferred action specific rights to your application with field officers use their discretion in the totality of the circumstances to make a decision but i want to know when asked of individuals who may have received deferred action came to the country initially u. S. Cif did not note that attract the data since theres no formal occasion for the process and id like to know how to track that and understand it and know about it. I think will insist on those things so in wrapping up i want to reiterate in our july hearing. We want real reform, real change we need to be discussing the root of the problem. The problem in my opinion is that we refuse as a congress to stand behind the rule of law and make clear our immigration import laws are enforced. We need clear rules of the road and needing to follow the better for nation and better for our 70 and thats better for migrants who seek to come here better for those who are sick looking for care is better for a just and humane way of dealing with things. I think we should stop sending mixed signals stop sending signals is okay to come here illegally to stay over basis to empower criminal organizations and cartels and basically have a system where we have indentured servitude in our country because were allowing the broken system to continue. We just had 50000 apprehensions in the southwest border in august. Using news accounts and how thats dropping down and how we should celebrate that but still enormously high. Its still in almost the height number and youre still overwhelmed at the border even as the decline is in the heat of the summer. At the peak of the crisis there are 132 apprehensions at the border and this proceeding continues today need to remember the underlying factors driving the crisis. Need to secure the border into our job in pointing the fingers in agencies and spewing of rhetoric here does not solve the problem but rather real reform will start here in congress but i want to thank the agencies for appearing today and i like to thank the witnesses for appearing today look for to hearing from each one of you. Mr. Roy, thank you. I want to associate myself with your comments with 911 and im glad indeed we were able to have the ceremony of all the members of the house today as we observe this important remembrance. I now what was our first panel of witnesses. Its my pleasure and i thank you all for the great pains you have come to join us. The witnesses are maria isabel, Jonathan Sanchez, [inaudible], clinical professor of law and director of the center for immigrant rights clinic at penn state law school, doctor fiona [inaudible] pediatrician from massa General Hospital in a pediatric mass general with Child Protection and Anthony Marino at Irish International center and mr. Thomas homan, former director of the u. S. Immigration customs enforcement. For all the witnesses who are able would you please arise and raise your right hand and i will begin by sparing the whole panel in and if youre not, please raise your hand. Do you swear, or a firm, the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you god . Let the record show the witnesses all answered in the affirmative. Please be seated. Thank you. Speak directly into the microphones you have five minutes and without objection emergency mitts will be made part of the record so we will get a competence of look at what you have to say even as you dont get it all in within the five minutes. With that, you are now recognized to give an oral presentation. I would like to thank the members of the House Committee on oversight reform for the opportunity to sit before you and hear my story. I name is maria im 24 years old and came to the u. S. From guatemala when i was only seven to participate in a Clinical Trial to save my life and live like me. I came here illegal resident in this country for over 16 years but on august 13 the u. S. Cif sent a letter to me and my family through the days to leave the country but we were able to learn our case to be reopened. There has been an overwhelming time for my family and me because medical treatment i need is not available in guatemala. Was born with mds a witch affects 2000 people in the world but its a rare lifethreatening disorder. Life expectancy was very short and the doctors that i might not live into my teens. At the time of my diagnosis there was no approved therapy to treat my disease. In 2001 mike doctor sent me to a hospital in oakland for a Clinical Trial. [inaudible] i was we came in a visa and it was not [inaudible] i understood it was an honor and a privilege and as i matured it was a reward to know what i was doing was going to help a lot of people. A continued participating in Clinical Trials until the state to help the next generation with my disease. I first participated it was successful and led to fda approval. [inaudible] i can live longer and have a Higher Quality of life. Doctors told me if i stop the treatment i dining disease wil will we relocated to california but i received this lifesaving treatment. [inaudible] i have a trick them out of me making my healthcare more, get it. Making the decision to relocate was hard. They left the careers and family and friends and my father is a computer engineer and he came in on it h1 visa to provide for us. We been denied a change in status. Weve reapplied every two years but due to the change in policy this year our request was denied and i want to leave. I am a human being with hopes and dreams in my life. Despite my physical challenges i have worked hard to achieve my goal i graduated so make him latte from [inaudible] and director [inaudible] i now work as an advocate for people with diseases. The summer i was a California Assembly member in oakland. With incredible support of my family i stayed positive through many struggles. Im very grateful for the opportunity this country has given me to receive medical treatment and ungrateful for the humane immigration policies that made my life here possible and i would like to make a difference for others. And asking congress and the administration to come together and right the wrongs of this training policy and its not a partisan issue. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Mr. Sanchez mac. My name is Jonathan Sanchez and im a 16 year old boy that has Cystic Fibrosis, a disease that affects primarily the young and affects the digestive system in my pancreas. I want to tell you about my life back in my native country of honduras and how my life has changed since i came to the usa on 2016. I was born in 2003 and lived there for the first 12 years of my life. When i was three months old parents found that i had and it was a scary day for them. Three years before i was born they had a daughter