House Democrats eliminated funding for a southern border wall and denied extra money for Border Patrol officers in a 2022 spending bill unveiled recently that comes amid a massive influx of illegal immigration.
Nearly 1 million illegal immigrants have been apprehended at the southern border since October, including a near-record 180,000 in May, according to statistics provided last month by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
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Last week, a House Appropriations subcommittee approved a $52.8 billion measure to fund Homeland Security for fiscal year 2022.
Democrats, who staunchly opposed President Donald Trump’s efforts to complete a border wall and build up the border patrol to reduce illegal immigration, say their measure “makes responsible investments in border security.”
The bill would add no funding for additional Border Patrol agents or border barriers and would rescind $2.06 billion allocated during the Trump administration for the construction of a border wall.
The measure would slash funding for the U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which carries apprehends and reports illegal immigrants. The bill would devote more money to programs aimed at processing illegal immigrants in the United States, which would allow them to shorten or avoid detention while seeking asylum.
The measure would dedicate $170 million to build new Integrated Migrant Processing Centers, which are aimed at speeding up processing for illegal immigrant families, and $42 million for the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, which reviews and investigates complaints against Border and Customs agents, including “violation of rights while in immigration detention or as a subject of immigration enforcement.”
The measure would include an additional $10 million for a pilot program providing alternatives to detention for illegal immigrants.
Democrats defended the spending plan in a hearing last week and said they are aimed at protecting children and families who cross into the U.S. and pose no safety risk.
The bill is aimed at reducing enormous backlogs in refugee, asylum, and immigration benefit applications, they said.
“We have included provisions in the bill intended to reduce the over- detention of migrants as they proceed through the immigration adjudication process, if they are not flight risks and pose no threat to public safety or national security,” said Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, a California Democrat and chairwoman of the Homeland Security Spending subcommittee, said.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat and chairwoman of House Appropriations, said the measure spends money on bolstering security at the nation’s ports of entry and protects families and children who enter the U.S. across the southern border.
The measure would spend an additional $155 million on technology aimed at improving security at borders and entry ports and provides $20 million for body-worn cameras for immigration and border officers.
DeLauro touted $3 million in the bill that would pay for childcare for unaccompanied children who have crossed the border in record numbers and $20 million for “migrant processing improvements,” which would address “the physical and mental well-being,” of migrant families.
Senate Democrats are writing their own Homeland spending bill, and it will have to include more GOP input due to the 60-vote Senate threshold for passing legislation.
Republicans have criticized the Biden administration and Democrats for refusing to bolster border security as thousands of illegal immigrants pour over the border and overwhelm border officials.
Trump traveled to the border last week to denounce President Joe Biden’s handling of the surge in illegal immigration and to promote his efforts to build a wall along the 2,000-mile border. He called the Biden administration “incompetent” and in favor of open borders.
Biden halted construction of the wall when he took office, following the lead of House and Senate Democrats who have sought to block money for the construction of any physical barriers along the southern border for years.
Illegal immigration at the border has reached a 21-year high, and polls show voters disapprove of Biden’s handling of border security.
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A new Harvard/Harris poll showed 80% believe illegal immigration is a serious issue and one that needs more attention from Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris, who Biden appointed to handle the crisis.
The poll found 68% believe signals from Biden’s White House are encouraging illegal immigration, and 55% believe that Trump’s border-closing policies should have been left in place.
