US Senator Calls for ‘Sweeping Reform’ Following Green Card Scandal

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) needs urgent reforms following an official report revealing that thousands of permanent residency or "green" cards have gone missing, US House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee chairman Michael McCaul said on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — It was reported earlier that US Citizenship and Immigration Services in recent years produced at least 19,000 ID cards that contained incorrect information, were issued in duplicate, or were sent to a wrong address.

"This is yet another wake-up call that it’s time for sweeping reform across the Department," McCaul stated. "The American people… are demanding… that we secure our borders, enforce our immigration laws and shut down all illegal pathways into the United States."

The report by the DHS Inspector General pointed out that because of electronic system errors, at least 19,000 Green Cards have been issued as duplicates or with incorrect information on names, dates of birth, photos and gender.

"Whether it’s aviation security or the security of our immigration system, the American people are losing faith that DHS is able to do its job," he warned.

McCaul has been tipped as a frontrunner to be chosen by President-elect Donald Trump as the next Secretary of Homeland Security, according to US media reports.