[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6746193,"mediaKeyId","3443942-945c30d3bddcfbc957fc2b53ab70075e","parentId",3443942,"title","Senators press DHS on border control, wall costs and use of Guantanamo to hold migrants","audioSeconds",1426,"startMs",1754000,"endMs",3180000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3443942-945c30d3bddcfbc957fc2b53ab70075e&start=1754&end=3180","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3443942-945c30d3bddcfbc957fc2b53ab70075e/thumbnail_1754000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6746193/Senators-press-DHS-on-border-control-wall-costs-and-use-of-Guantanamo-to-hold-migrants","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6746193-0b60a094608649fe8847e7fd5bfc4ee0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770811029&Signature=cnoEvp5WGSRtyrw2kocNrxkO6b4j-XxzE7~lvZj~Ia8NaWocnLZ3qLDuLudSATOqR5g0Ed55zQWj~ng8hNCvbvedcccFqp6fmDyGUDeLnwLlyzX7E5UufGrwNhqnJJ1iBbn19IFds1dAajVhv5w~cvdS2kBHeX~X4pMI48qkfgPhvN6xM10lFjvpq9Fk1kA3VTEeuA7WuQShrAOQAiyfc8bD3juOomXp5Fl-0T5dBJHiYjKCsEESWPwWQVsfzoWJP~161jrD6f676KNTGKqYLgM21Fzm8KMCT-wzO1ut0zBSoHFU~QOu0zyIrNlbbjP7lAvwVq9xekvyfHHdd~ZgZA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs","date","2025-05-20T00:00:00Z","article","Committee members spent substantial time questioning Secretary Noem about border metrics, detention operations and the administration’s request for $46.5 billion in border infrastructure.

Administration claims and questions: Noem repeatedly told senators the administration had achieved a dramatic reduction in daily border encounters and called the border \"the most secure border in American history,\" a claim senators repeatedly referenced (figures cited during the hearing included a 93% decline in daily encounters). Several senators asked how the department justified a $46.5 billion request for wall construction when per‑mile estimates they cited (CBP's and other figures discussed in the hearing) ranged from roughly $6.5 million to $14 million per mile. Chairman Paul and other senators asked the department for line‑item details explaining the differences between the requested sum and cost per mile.

Detention and transport: Senators raised the administration's practice of transferring migrants to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. Members asked about per‑person and total costs; one senator reported that a two‑month operating estimate was previously described to him as $43 million and asked why migrants were moved offshore rather than detained in the United States. Noem defended the transfers and said the funds used were \"authorized and appropriately\" spent.

Deportations and self‑deportation incentive: Noem described options the department is using to remove noncitizens, including facilitating voluntary departures, which she described as cheaper than forced removal and said could include a plane ticket and $1,000 to assist returnees. Senators pressed for clarification about whether U.S. citizens had been mistakenly deported (several senators alleged individual cases; Noem said her office had not deported U.S. citizens and that where interviews find individuals are citizens or have legal status they remain in the United States).

Why it matters: The questions link fiscal, operational and legal issues — the scale of the requested border infrastructure spending, the cost and propriety of moving migrants to Guantanamo Bay, and the department's treatment of lawful residents and citizens. Noem promised department follow‑up on budget specifics and on document access requested by the committee.

Ending: The committee did not take formal action on appropriations or policy; senators asked for additional documentation and line‑item budget breakdowns to reconcile the administration’s wall request with per‑mile cost estimates and to clarify detention costs at Guantanamo Bay.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Full Committee Hearing: The Department of Homeland Security’s Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2026","oneSentenceSummary","Senators questioned Secretary Noem about border‑control claims, a $46.5 billion wall request and the practice of transferring migrants to Guantanamo Bay during a May 20 Senate Homeland Security hearing.","taxTitle","Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Senate Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1996,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6746203,"Senators press DHS on alleged risky pathogen research; Noem schedules NBACC review",1136,1090000,2226000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3443942-945c30d3bddcfbc957fc2b53ab70075e&start=1090&end=2226","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3443942-945c30d3bddcfbc957fc2b53ab70075e/thumbnail_1090000.jpg","/articles/6746203/Senators-press-DHS-on-alleged-risky-pathogen-research-Noem-schedules-NBACC-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6746203-2c6a12b1927ef9c6cc0e07253594be61/orig.mp4?Expires=1770811029&Signature=KxU50cIggpf2msCNSdRO1KxZPTpih1QGbGmKJGqBX6OJj4kkq61TYzT-3F~~5~8AKijtUbIqmAH6TOlhWEWdTklZGtlTfTsx6u6BFR5QCRAbHpmcj~1eOiPIa2sk1Q4F9nkkmg5oLZdBvlwHtrVPy3f2FAoQTr9l3fxxD1YL5Iyd7MvC9359T8N27NraNGZq~wAs6OgOmA7vaJq4W4NNmFpz0t2Hygi9k8JnnufQF02kw5A1vOZJYfu1xuyEwL-G3MdCQmgZudpMCZo6eEhEOuPQFWKfOtP5Xwp-R7oeLzg0uJGLPo0b-okxSzIa5kBHFALD~w~lan2-2k1PApGbxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chairman Rand Paul told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on May 20 that subpoenaed records show the Department of Homeland Security used taxpayer dollars to fund laboratory work he called deeply concerning and potentially \"gain of function.\" Paul, opening the hearing, said the documents \"confirm our suspicions\" that researchers proposed combining elements of two weakened anthrax strains to produce a version capable of causing disease and that scientists at the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasure Center (NBACC) had experimented with aerosolizing agents including plague and Ebola.

Why it matters: The chairman framed the claims as both a public‑safety risk and a diplomatic concern tied to the Biological Weapons Convention. He said Congress needs independent, statutory oversight and urged passage of the Risky Research Review Act, a bipartisan bill he said would create a presidential commission to define and review gain‑of‑function research.

Secretary of Homeland Security Noem responded that she has ordered follow‑up and that a site visit to the Fort Detrick laboratory is planned with DHS and NIH leadership. \"We do have a visit planned in the future here in the next 10 days to 2 weeks with Secretary Kennedy, to look into the work that this lab is doing and if it is appropriate for the Department of Homeland Security to be engaged in that,\" Noem told the committee. She also said DHS has provided thousands of pages of documents to Congress and that department staff are being directed to be responsive to oversight requests.

What officials said, in their own words: \"You heard that right. DHS was using taxpayer dollars to try to recreate a fully virulent anthrax strain by engineering it from less dangerous components,\" Paul said during opening remarks. Noem said the department has \"given you about 50,000 pages, I think, so far of information,\" and later told the chairman that, in DHS's review so far, \"between NIH and the Department of Homeland Security, there are no research projects ongoing right now today or that we've been able to find as far as projects they were doing together.\"

What was not shown: Committee members repeatedly characterized the documents as alarming, but at the hearing no member introduced a formal classified exhibit in the public record and Noem said her team's review was ongoing. The committee did not vote on legislation. The chairman's account of specific proposed experiments comes from his description of subpoenaed records; committee testimony did not include a lab director or peer reviewer describing the experiments at the hearing.

Next steps: Noem told senators the department will continue to produce responsive records and allow inspections, and she welcomed outside review. Senator Paul urged prompt enactment of the Risky Research Review Act so an independent panel can set lasting definitions and review criteria for potentially dangerous research.

Ending: The committee set the matter of NBACC and DHS‑funded biological research as a priority for oversight; Noem pledged a site visit and additional document production while members pressed for statutory standards and independent review.","Chairman Rand Paul told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on May 20 that subpoenaed records show the Department of Homeland Security used taxpayer dollars to fund laboratory work he called deeply concerning and potentially \"gain of function.\"",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6746189,"Senators press DHS on FEMA preparedness, grant cuts and hurricane season readiness",2027,1395000,3422000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3443942-945c30d3bddcfbc957fc2b53ab70075e&start=1395&end=3422","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3443942-945c30d3bddcfbc957fc2b53ab70075e/thumbnail_1395000.jpg","/articles/6746189/Senators-press-DHS-on-FEMA-preparedness-grant-cuts-and-hurricane-season-readiness","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6746189-0df69158eccc767ac093afe6d8084343/orig.mp4?Expires=1770811029&Signature=juYhxgnEQVk-xX~b9QMuvjIGXPhuBuV1L~LsirnIHXU7TTZaHFoCkdQYkEylTDlabY-3pym1vW3LkPWmBXCjMoEW-vLRtbsbX2ybmpGhC44SIQqTXnS4UD2b3T92xRbziFxa7tMsI5OH4GLmIEudJrla0tI9cz8Z8z67eHHs6NXm5Gu19X~RqKcsDN3eIv0c4bb2-vxCNA6hEyfPwlrS9S2L9urBnjM7~Oxwau186mW9Gj3DDCU82WDBBQMB8UgFXia6OmH2rHAFdzfiFa0gYbwFlnuEJpOsoBv8x39u~Wo6aZchP3Fez~NmvgfibPb3Qmem0SMqsgJuAgn4dj1PMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senators raised concerns on May 20 about FEMA's preparedness for the upcoming hurricane season and about proposed reductions to certain FEMA grant lines. Several senators, including the committee's ranking member and members from states recently affected by storms, said FEMA had signaled gaps in readiness and asked for expedited consideration of disaster declarations and individual assistance.

Secretary Noem said FEMA regional teams were pre‑staging people and equipment and that tabletop exercises and planning were underway. She told senators the FEMA Review Council — an agency effort to restructure disaster response — had held its first meeting and would pursue reforms intended to speed response and improve service to affected communities. Noem also said the administration was reviewing FEMA grant programs to ensure funds are directed toward infrastructure and mitigation projects rather than activities the administration considers outside FEMA's core mission.

Why it matters: Senators told the committee that communities hit by recent storms had urgent needs for individual assistance, debris removal and mitigation funding. Members from Missouri and other affected states pressed Noem to expedite disaster declaration reviews and individual assistance approvals; Noem committed to accelerating those processes when appropriate.

What was not resolved: No formal policy change or appropriations action occurred during the hearing. Senators requested follow‑up information about pending disaster declarations, the status of specific FEMA grants, and assurances about FEMA staffing as some employees had left or retired from the agency.

Ending: DHS agreed to work with the committee and state officials to expedite disaster declarations and to provide more detailed grant and staffing information.","Lawmakers asked Secretary Noem about FEMA's readiness for hurricane season, pending disaster declaration requests, and proposed reductions to non‑disaster FEMA grants. Noem said FEMA is pre‑staging personnel and equipment, the FEMA Review Council will pursue reforms, and the administration is evaluating grant programs.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6746198,"Senators press DHS on CISA role, alleged censorship and proposed budget cuts",62,2359000,2421000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3443942-945c30d3bddcfbc957fc2b53ab70075e&start=2359&end=2421","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3443942-945c30d3bddcfbc957fc2b53ab70075e/thumbnail_2359000.jpg","/articles/6746198/Senators-press-DHS-on-CISA-role-alleged-censorship-and-proposed-budget-cuts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6746198-dca6442b8cdcf0142cf194711f7c5052/orig.mp4?Expires=1770811029&Signature=eLLNpEYaTqw-JHOHn1cQG6kTG8l~hfU2COnOUq88hzIa3shWWdyln4DYrAUNw~kiA-izsun7ZOuvVO1rnpu8ntcTzx94ew6CMiooDGEd0c4s-018AS00YH3RQq029VQqlj8m~si~hyWijDJUyn-LBHX2QXHiTCjix7C65kQ9oHj-TdcpuUcNfL0KJrPeZrGcJd0DN8eJDe84c~IYkA4ur3WDmEEG~YbKMw97Jtw6G~dZ91DPOVxXCwQPvj-bN6BT4OCwwV4WnDoCesx28QDXxYc3Rqdis17S9eo73QQq5xrKuIQ~R9u8DyGnENPe4Gjz9oUEAJVW9SZokhzjxcSfrw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senators on the Homeland Security Committee raised allegations that some employees at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) had spent significant time on content‑moderation or speech‑related activities rather than cyber defense. Committee members cited internal reviews and the \"Twitter files\" reporting as evidence that CISA had been involved in policing speech.

Secretary Noem told the panel that DHS review had \"literally found thousands of documents that have proven that they were involved in censorship and policing speech,\" and she said the department will unveil findings to the committee. Noem added that the administration's budget proposal reduces CISA funding — a cut senators characterized as large (roughly $500 million mentioned during questioning) — but she said the agency will continue to meet its statutory cybersecurity obligations and that \"putting it back on mission\" means returning CISA to its original purpose as the nation's cybersecurity agency.

Why it matters: Senators from both parties said CISA must be on a clear mission to protect critical infrastructure and help state and local governments harden systems. Ranking member Gary Peters pushed the administration to support extending the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act authority (referred to at the hearing as CISA 2015) by 10 years to stabilize public‑private information sharing. Senators also asked whether specific programs serving states, localities and election security would be affected by the budget reductions.

What was said and not said: Noem said the administration endorses an extension of the information‑sharing authority and emphasized partnering with private industry. She declined during the hearing to provide a line‑by‑line accounting of which specific CISA offices or programs would be cut, saying only that the agency will fulfill statutory requirements and prioritize core cybersecurity work. No formal budget amendment or program list was produced at the hearing.

Ending: Senators asked for follow‑up details on which CISA programs and grants would be reduced and whether the department will provide specific program lists and timelines. Noem said DHS would continue to work with Congress and provide more information as the department refines its proposals.","Committee members questioned Secretary Noem about internal CISA activity accused of policing speech and about a large proposed cut to CISA's budget. Noem told senators DHS review found documents indicating inappropriate censorship and said the administration intends to refocus CISA on cybersecurity while fulfilling statutory responsibilities.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senators press DHS on border control, wall costs and use of Guantanamo to hold migrants

Senators press DHS on alleged risky pathogen research; Noem schedules NBACC review

Senators press DHS on FEMA preparedness, grant cuts and hurricane season readiness

Senators press DHS on CISA role, alleged censorship and proposed budget cuts