Biden administration considering using Veterans Affairs funds to pay for border crisis 

The Biden administration confirmed on Wednesday that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is seeking to divert resources, doctors and nurses from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help care for undocumented migrants along the U.S.’ southern border.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas made the comments while testifying before the House Appropriations Committee.

During the hearing, Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson asked the secretary if resources would be diverted as part of DHS’ plan to address the unprecedented spike in immigration, Fox News reported.

"We've heard that the administration is considering removing health care providers from the VA, for example, doctors and nurses whose taxpayer dollars and their intent is to help care for our veterans," Hinson began.

"So my question to you today is yes or no: Is the Department of Homeland Security planning to reallocate resources, doctors and nurses from our VA system intended to care for our veterans to help care for illegal immigrants at our southern border?"

At first, Mayorkas attempted to avoid the question.

"Let me be clear, because an interagency effort is precisely what the challenge of migration requires – and it's not specific to 2022, 2021, 2020 or any of the years preceding," he said, before Hinson cut him off.

Hinson, however, pressed the secretary further.

"I'm just asking you a yes or no question," she pressed. "Are you planning on taking resources away from our veterans to help deal with the surge at our southern border? That's a yes or no question."

Mayorkas responded, pushing responsibility onto the VA secretary.

"Congresswoman, the resources that the medical personnel from the Veterans Administration would allocate to this effort is under the judgment of the secretary of Veterans Affairs, who prioritizes the interests of veterans above all others for very noble and correct," Mayorkas responded.

Finally, however, Hinson asked the secretary directly if he had heard the details of talks between DHS and the VA.

"I have not personally. But of course, our teams, our personnel have. And I'd be very pleased to follow up with you," he responded.

In recent months, Senate Republicans have moved to block the Biden administration from using VA resources to address the crisis along the southern border.

A group of senators on Tuesday introduced a bill that would effectively “prohibit the use by the Department of Veterans Affairs of funds to provide emergency assistance at the southern border of the United States resulting from the repeal of certain public health orders, and for other purposes.”

House Republicans passed similar legislation earlier this month.

President Biden has recently pushed to terminate Title 42 – a Trump-era COVID-19 measure which allows for the immediate deportation of asylum seekers – right as the country braces for a spike in immigration.

However, a federal judge in Louisiana blocked the move on Tuesday, ruling that the policy must remain in place until the administration can negotiate a satisfactory plan with border states on how to address the current border crisis.