WASHINGTON (AP) – House Republicans are expected to press a government watchdog for more answers about allegations of undue influence exerted by the Homeland Security Department’s No. 2 in three foreign investment visa cases.
Homeland Security Inspector General John Roth concluded in a 99-page report released earlier this week that Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas improperly intervened in three investor visa cases involving prominent Democrats, including the youngest brother of likely Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Roth said in his report that more than 15 whistleblowers spoke with his investigators about Mayorkas’ intervention while he was head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The report concluded that in the three cases Mayorkas went “outside of the normal … process, and intervened with the career USCIS staff in ways that benefited” the groups seeking his help. His actions, Roth wrote, created the appearance of favoritism and special access and caused resentment among career government employees, managers and lawyers.
Roth is scheduled to testify about the investigation before the House Homeland Security Committee on Thursday. The investigation was first reported by The Associated Press days before Mayorkas’ July 2013 Senate confirmation hearing.
The visa applications Mayorkas is accused of meddling with were part of the U.S. government’s investor-visa program, known as EB-5, which allows foreigners to obtain visas to live permanently in the U.S. with their spouse and children if they invest $500,000 to $1 million in projects or businesses that create jobs for American citizens. Approved investors can become legal permanent residents after two years and later can become U.S. citizens.