U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul is accusing the Obama administration of using the looming budget cuts as an “excuse” to release detainees.

In a Fox News appearance Thursday, McCaul, the recently-appointed chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said federal officials had been looking into releasing detainees “as far as a year ago.” He did not provide evidence for the claim.

“It’s a dangerous and reckless policy to release potentially violent criminal offenders into the general population,” McCaul said.

Earlier this week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials announced that several hundred immigrants who were being held in jails were released in order to save money.

A spokesman for the president said Wednesday that all those released were “non-criminals” with “low-risk” status.

For his part, McCaul is asking for more information about the detainees. He wrote a letter to ICE director John Morton, asking for an exact total of those released, and their reasons for being detained.

McCaul says he wants a reply by March 6.

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