WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) previewed a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration hearing he will lead tomorrow in the wake of unprecedented fraud uncovered in Minnesota involving Somali-run childcare centers and nonprofits. The hearing will highlight the pervasive immigration fraud occurring nationwide, including the theft of U.S. citizen identity documents, use of stolen Social Security numbers, and defrauding of federal programs, often at the hands of illegal aliens. Excerpts from Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.

“The mainstream media may have moved on from this scandal, but our job here in Congress on this scandal is not done. As a matter of fact, it’s just beginning.”

“As Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security, I’m hosting a hearing tomorrow entitled, ‘Somali Fraud in Minnesota: the Tip of the Iceberg.’”

“These witnesses will help us get a better handle on the full breadth of the problem posed by illegal immigration and the aliens who are abusing our country’s welfare system in order to send money back home to their home countries.”

“Fraud’s not a victimless crime, and neither is identity theft. And Democrats’ attempts to deflect discussions of fraud are an injustice to the victims of these crimes, which happen to be all the American taxpayers.”  

“These incidents raise questions about the prevalence of government grants and contracts to nongovernmental organizations.”

“It’s nothing short of an insult to the generosity of the American taxpayer that aliens are able to enter the country and enrich themselves by taking advantage of federal programs that are intended to help needy Americans. Hardworking American citizens who pay taxes to the U.S. government deserve accountability for how their dollars are being spent, and tomorrow’s hearing will help shine a light on just how rampant this abuse is.”