Today, the House Appropriations Committee is meeting to vote on a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spending bill that would further fund the Trump Administration’s ongoing assault against immigrants.
From separating families at the border to indiscriminately targeting long-settled immigrants throughout America, Trump’s DHS – under both former Secretary John Kelly and current Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen – have shaped, implemented, and enabled the administration’s relentless crackdown against immigrants, asylum-seekers, refugees, and the very idea of a welcoming America.
Now, Republicans are seeking to give even more money to fund Trump’s immigration extremism. The GOP DHS appropriations bill includes:
- $5 billion for the wasteful and offensive border wall
- A combined 775 new immigration enforcement agents for ICE (400 new agents) and CBP (375 new agents)
- 44,000 new immigration jail beds – a record-high number that is 10% greater than last year and 30% greater than just two years ago
- $51.4 billion in discretionary funding for DHS – $3.7 billion greater than last year for an agency and leadership that have consistently failed to meet standards of basic
According to Pili Tobar, Managing Director of America’s Voice:
After repeatedly failing to meet basic standards of competency and decency, DHS needs more accountability and oversight, not billions of dollars of no-strings attached money to continue their ugly and indiscriminate assault against immigrants. Members of Congress have an opportunity to send a message to DHS and stand against the Trump administration’s cruel and inhumane attacks on immigrant families.
