Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Melissa Hart today applauded provisions included in the Fiscal Year 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Act that will help secure U.S. borders and better enable officials to enforce current immigration laws.

“This legislation contains vital funding that will allow us to better secure our borders and enable officials to enforce our immigration laws,” said Hart. “Getting control of our borders and enforcing the immigration laws we already have on our books are critical. The recent arrest of illegal immigrants from a household in Beaver County that also had loaded guns in it is a stark reminder that this is not solely a problem in border towns and cities, it is a matter of national security that concerns all of us.”

Hart, however, added that more still needs to be done to secure our borders. “In my many talks with local enforcement officials, it is evident that we need to provide them with more tools and better coordinate their efforts with federal officials,” said Hart. “Ending the ridiculous ‘Catch-and-Release’ policy that allows illegal immigrants to be released back into our country even after they are arrested is a start. We must also do more to secure entry points and deploy state-of-the-art technology at the border.”

The FY 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations bill makes strides in securing the border and fighting illegal immigration by providing:

• $2.77 billion for border patrol, adding 1,500 new Border Patrol agents, bring the total workforce to 14,800 agents;
• $1.5 billion for border fencing, vehicle barriers, technology and infrastructure;
• $3.1 billion for the Coast Guard’s homeland security missions;
• $1.38 billion for ICE custody operations, adding 6,700 detention beds
• $238 million for transportation and removal of undocumented aliens;
• $1.5 billion for border security technology and tactical infrastructure;
• $600 million for Air and Marine Operations for border and airspace security;
• $183 million for a total of 75 fugitive operations teams, an increase of 23;
• $137 million for the Criminal Alien Program;
• $362 million for the US-VISIT program; and
• $135 million to support immigration verification systems.

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