Dems opens investigation into Trump's "unprecedented" shots at homeland security

On Thursday, three senior Democratic House members launched an investigation into what they described as "unprecedented shots" at the Department of Homeland Security.

Chairpersons of House Committees Elijah CummingsElijah Eugene CummingsThe Morning's Morning Report – Trump tells House Investigators that the White House refuses Cummings' request for Stephen Miller to testify on immigration: Trump's effort to confront a thorny legal challenge MORE (D-Md.), Jerrold NadlerJerrold (Jerry) Lewis Nadler21 questions to Robert Mueller Klobuchar on impeachment: "I'm the jury" Where 2020 Democratic candidates stand up on dismissal MORE (D-N.Y.) And Bennie ThompsonBennie Gordon ThompsonDems accuses the White House of giving in to Trump's ego on Russian interference De Blasio promises to drag him to court for proposal of shrine city. The Hill & # 39; s Morning Report – Waiting for Mueller: Responses arrive Thursday PLUS (D-Mademoiselle) wrote a letter to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Kevin McAleenan, calling for communications regarding the eventual departure of the former Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen NielsenKirstjen Michele NielsenChef Democratic Party: Trump is "compromised" Hillicon Valley: Facebook expects a fine of up to B FTC | DHS face scan at airports triggers an alarm | New Twitter Tool Targets Electoral Disinformation | Legislators want answers on Google's Sensorvault & # 39; The Dems accuse the White House of having yielded to Trump's ego over Russian interference IN FURTHER, the former director of secret services, Randolph Alles and other officials.

"We are deeply concerned about the dismissal and forced resignation of those responsible who endanger the security of the American people," the legislators wrote. "We are also concerned that the president may have fired DHS officials because they refused to violate the federal law on immigration and court orders."

"In addition, we are concerned by reports that even though he had dismissed the Department's leadership, the President had sought to empower a White House aide," he said. Stephen MillerStephen MillerDems opens an investigation into Trump's "unprecedented" layoffs at Homeland Security. The Hill's Morning Report – Trump tells House investigators that Trump's "no" aggressive attitude towards visas and legal immigrants breaks with the conservative principle MORE, to be "in charge of managing all immigration affairs and border affairs," wrote the Democrats, citing a recent report published in the Washington Post.

The announcement came one day after the White House refused to make Miller available to the public to testify before Congress.

The letter quotes reports that Miller and other senior officials have pleaded for Nielsen's departure after identifying legal obstacles to the president's efforts to revive family separations on the US southern border. Trump abruptly announced Nielsen's resignation on Twitter on April 7, after months of rumors that the president would force her to leave the post.

Democrats have pointed to other recent departures to the Department of Homeland Security, including the withdrawal of Alles and the resignation of Undersecretary for Management, Claire Grady, and Acting Director of the Department of Homeland Security. Immigration and Customs (ICE), Ronald Vitiello.

Trump withdrew Vitiello's candidacy for the position of ICE's permanent director a few days before his resignation, telling reporters that he wanted to go in a "harder" direction. Miller, known for his radical ideas on immigration, would have advocated the withdrawal of Vitiello's candidacy.

The Democratic Presidents seek Homeland Security "all communications relating to the departure or the possibility of departure" of Nielsen, Alles, Grady and Vitiello from January 2019 to the present day. They also claim such documents relating to the Director of Citizenship and Immigration Services of the United States, L. Francis Cissna, and to the Advocate General, John Mitnick, who are rumored to be disappearing in the future. 'administration.

The Democrats are also looking for all the communications between McAleenan and Miller. They asked Homeland Security to provide the documents by May 9th.

Representatives of the White House and Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

The inquiry is one of the many Democrats in the House who have opened their powers to the majority. The White House said it was planning to block the investigations conducted by the Democrats.

In a letter sent on Wednesday, White House lawyer Pat Cipollone told Cummings that the White House would "respectfully" refuse the invitation of its panel to testify about the policy of Trump's immigration, claiming that Miller was immune from the congressional process of testimony based on precedents.

Cummings, Nadler and Thompson – who head the House, Judiciary and Homeland Security Oversight Committees, respectively – have indicated their intention to aggressively pursue Trump and his administration.