WASHINGTON – Moments ago, the Senate voted to invoke cloture on the nomination of Chad Wolf to be an undersecretary at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Before the vote, Senators Chuck Schumer and Jacky Rosen highlighted that Wolf lied under oath about his involvement in developing the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance policy during his June Senate confirmation hearing. Restore Public Trust released the following statement in response:

“Chad Wolf’s role in crafting the administration’s heinous child separation policy should already disqualify him from a top role at the Department of Homeland Security. But Wolf lying about it under oath warrants a full investigation,” said Lizzy Price, director of Restore Public Trust. “Chad Wolf personifies the Trump administration’s inhumane policies, and he should be immediately disqualified to lead DHS.”

Here’s the timeline of Wolf’s involvement in developing the policy, and his attempt to cover it up:

• In December 2017, as chief of staff to then-Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Wolf sent a list of suggested tactics for curbing immigration to the office of then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions that included the option to “separate family units.” In an email, Wolf said the list was pulled together by himself and two others.
• In March 2018, Wolf’s calendars showed a meeting on family separations, and a pre-meeting phone call suggesting he had requested a meeting on the topic. 
• In June 2019, during his Senate confirmation hearing, Wolf denied helping develop the Trump administration’s family separation policy, saying he first became aware of it in April 2018.

Last week, Restore Public Trust sent a letter calling on a Senate committee to refer Chad Wolf to the Department of Justice to be investigated for lying under oath about his role in developing the administration’s horrific family separation policy.