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First lady Jill Biden is anticipated to take a leading role in reuniting families that were separated at the border. According to the latest court filing, lawyers are still searching for the parents of 611 children who were split from their families at the border between 2017 and 2018. Biden spokesman Michael LaRosa said the first lady’s chief of staff Julissa Reynoso will oversee the reunification because of her background as a lawyer. Top officials from DHS, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the State Department are expected to guide the task force. Even though President Joe Biden promised to announce the task force on his first day, it is anticipated to be announced later this week. CNN Politics
Mayorkas’ Confirmation Vote Faces Republican Opposition in Senate
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) filed cloture to Alejandro Mayorkas’ nomination for secretary of Homeland Security after Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said Senate Republicans would dispute any effort to quickly confirm Mayorkas. Cornyn claimed that “there are a number of problems” with Mayorkas’ confirmation. On Tuesday, eight senators led by Cornyn advised Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to hold a committee hearing on Mayorkas’ confirmation, delaying the process. Durbin called their ask “unnecessary” and called out committee Republicans for what he said was their lack of involvement in DHS during the Trump administration. Politico
Family Reunification Task Force, Immigration Orders Delayed
The White House is possibly delaying its executive orders on migration, including the announcement of the task force to reunite migrant families separated at the border under the Trump administration. Biden had promised during his presidential campaign that he was going to start the task force on his first day in office. In a memo detailing the early executive order actions, White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain said the administration would “start the difficult but critical work of reuniting families separated at the border.” A separate document was circulated among Biden officials implying the immigration executive order may be revealed on Friday, but sources told NBC NewYork it will be delayed “by at least a few days.” NBC New York
