WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden’s handling of the United States-Mexico border is priority number one for Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan and the House Judiciary Committee he now leads.

“Month after month after month, we have set records for migrants coming into the country. And frankly, I think it’s intentional,” Jordan said Wednesday, as he chaired his first hearing.

Throughout the hearing, Republicans highlighted the record numbers of migrants being stopped at the border and a surge in fentanyl overdoses in the U.S. as evidence of failure.

An Arizona sheriff was brought in by the GOP to testify.

“Our southern border, against all public comfort statements out of Washington, D.C., is in the worst shape I’ve ever seen it,” said Sheriff Mark Dannels of Cochise County, Arizona.

A father of a teenage fentanyl victim also spoke to the panel.

“For us, this isn’t a political issue. This is an issue about the safety of our children and the citizens of this country,” said Brandon Dunn, who has since co-founded the nonprofit Forever 15 Project, in honor of his late son.

Democrats called the hearing a political charade, not a good faith effort to negotiate solutions.

“Unfortunately, this hearing is more of the same haphazard, chaotic style we have come to expect of this new Republican majority,” said New York Rep. Jerry Nadler, the committee’s top Democrat. 

A Texas county judge was brought in by Democrats to argue the immigration system must be fixed.

“There is no open border in El Paso. Immigrants seeking asylum largely present themselves to Border Patrol for processing,” said El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego.

As chairperson, Jordan (R, Ohio’s 4th District) decides the topics of the committee’s hearings and the legislation it considers. But any bill the committee, and the full House, passes would still have to get through the Democratic-led Senate to become law.

In an interview Tuesday, Spectrum News asked Jordan what type of legislation he thinks can realistically get through both chambers to help the border.

“Well, it’s going to be tough. I make no bones about that. Because I think what’s happened on the border the last two years is intentional,” Jordan said.

He remains a staunch defender of former President Donald Trump and played a key role last month in convincing other Freedom Caucus members to support Kevin McCarthy for House Speaker.

It’s a turnabout from a few years ago, when Jordan was a thorn in the side of GOP leadership and ran against McCarthy to head the caucus.

Spectrum News asked Jordan what made him comfortable transitioning from a political outsider, who often criticized the establishment, to now being an insider.

“I guess I would characterize it a little different,” Jordan said. “What I try to do is exactly what I told the voters in the 4th District I was going to do, what I’ve told the people of this great country I was going to do, if given the opportunity to serve in Congress and be a part of the Oversight Committee and the Judiciary Committee.”

He maintains McCarthy is the right person to lead House Republicans now.

“I think Speaker McCarthy, more than any leader I’ve had the privilege of serving under here in Washington, knows how to bring a team together and work on doing what we told the American people we’re going to do,” Jordan said.

As chairperson of the Judiciary Committee, Jordan is a key member of that team.