Senate Committee Criticizes DHS and FBI Leaders for Skipping Public Hearing

Key members of the Senate Homeland Security Committee expressed substantial criticism towards Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray for not attending an end-of-year public hearing. The hearing, originally scheduled for Thursday, was intended to address global threats.

Senator Gary Peters stated that the absence of Mayorkas and Wray represents a «shocking departure» from the 15-year tradition of conducting annual public hearings on worldwide threats. According to a statement released to Fox News Digital by the FBI, Wray and other officials have already «testified extensively» about the threats to the United States.

«FBI leaders…believe the Committee would benefit most from further substantive discussions and additional information that can only be provided in a classified setting,» the statement continued. Similarly, a spokesperson for DHS mentioned that Mayorkas has «testified 30 times during his tenure» and emphasized the preference for a classified briefing.

Despite these explanations, Peters publicly rejected them, indicating that not holding the hearing publicly denies American citizens access to critical information. He added, «Americans deserve transparent, public answers about the threats we face. Secretary Mayorkas and Director Wray’s refusal to speak publicly about their department’s work will only increase the concerns that many Americans have about our nation’s security at a challenging time.»

The criticism was echoed by Senator Rand Paul, who labeled their refusal to testify publicly as «unacceptable.» The postponed Senate hearing closely followed after a similar delay of a House Homeland Security Committee meeting on Wednesday, where Mayorkas and Wray were also expected to testify.

Representative Mark Green, R-Tenn., chair of the House committee, has not yet commented on the situation. According to a source from the House Homeland Security Committee, there were initial plans for a classified hearing which ultimately fell through, prompting the rescheduling of a public hearing.