SENATE CLASH: HHS OMBUDS SAYS DON’T AUTOMATICALLY DEPORT ILLEGAL HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS OF UAC SPONSORS

At a Senate Judiciary hearing, former HHS Unaccompanied Children Ombuds Mary Giovagnoli told Sen. John Cornyn that unlawfully present household members of UAC sponsors shouldn’t be automatically deported, saying decisions should depend on circumstances and can be civil matters. Cornyn pressed on vetting of sponsors and household members amid prior lapses, including halted DNA collection and waived checks. Whistleblower accounts and oversight reports were cited about lost contact with tens of thousands of minors, while Giovagnoli said many issues predated her tenure.