Trump seeks resources due to the humanitarian crisis at the border
President Donald Trump asks Congress for an additional $4.5 billion for humanitarian response and border operations.
According to the White House Office:
The Trump Administration is seeking a supplemental appropriation of $4.5 billion to address the immediate humanitarian crisis on the southern border. $3.3 billion of this request will fund humanitarian assistance, including funds to increase shelter capacity, to feed and care for migrants in custody, and for transportation. Department of Homeland Security will receive $273 million to stand up, operate, and secure processing centers at the southern border, increasing its capacity by 3,500 beds. More than $2.8 billion will go to increase Health and Human Services shelter capacity for Unaccompanied Alien Children to approximately 23,600 beds. $1.1 billion will go to border operations, including personnel expenses, additional detention beds, and activities combating human smuggling and trafficking. $178 million will be used to fund mission support, including $10 million to improve migrant processing by upgrading information technology systems. The White House says there is an urgent crisis at the border. They are experiencing an overwhelming surge of migrants flooding to our border, many of whom are minors and families who require extensive care.
Apprehensions could reach one million by the end of the year, which would be more than double the number of arrests last year. Border Patrol has apprehended more than 455,000 migrants already this fiscal year, which is approximately 245,000. There has been a significant increase in large groups arriving at our border, mainly comprised of migrants from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras claiming asylum. The White House says Congress must act. The surge of migrants arriving at the southern border has strained existing resources to a breaking point.
Congress must appropriate these funds expeditiously, so the agencies and front-line professionals have the resources they need to care for migrants. While immediate action is needed to address this crisis, Congress must also work to close immigration loopholes that incentivize migrants to flood to our border. Otherwise, taxpayers will continue to pay for managing this surge of migrants.
