Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) is leading the charge to overturn the Biden administration rule on how unaccompanied minors who illegally cross the border are looked after.

Backed by 45 Republicans, Manchin introduced a Congressional Review Act resolution calling on the Department of Health and Human Services to make sweeping changes to the Unaccompanied Children Program, which costs taxpayers billions of dollars, according to Manchin’s statement.

The program is designed to place unaccompanied minors who cross the border with a sponsor, typically a family member already settled in the United States. Manchin raised concerns about the vetting process of the sponsors, which does not consider their criminal records, illegal drug use, or history of abuse or neglect. The signatories say home visits also have weak standards, and the immigration status of sponsors is not shared with law enforcement agencies.

“We have a crisis at our southern border and its human impacts are absolutely devastating,” Manchin said in a statement. “I have repeatedly called on President [Joe] Biden to use his executive powers to shut it down and address the cycles of exploitation that illegal immigration empowers. Instead, the Administration is allowing rules like this one to jeopardize the safety of migrant children and trust them in the hands of unvetted sponsors, all while spending billions of taxpayer dollars to enforce the flawed program.”

The HHS Department released updated guidance in April on standards regarding unaccompanied minors. In Manchin’s announcement, he said the rule update makes it difficult for whistleblowers to disclose to Congress and the HHS inspector general instances of wrongdoing and misconduct in the program.

Prior to April, the 1997 Flores Settlement Agreement was the governing document setting standards for placements and release of unaccompanied children.

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said the April update now requires background checks for all sponsors.

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“By enhancing the legal framework governing the UC Program, we set clear standards for the care and treatment of unaccompanied children in ORR’s custody and the support they receive as they transition into new communities,” he added.

Last fiscal year, which ended in April, 67,588 unaccompanied minors were released to the care of sponsors.