News and Views

$21.3 BILLION FOR BORDER PROTECTION IN HOMELAND SECURITY SPENDING BILL APPROVED BY CONGRESS

WASHINGTON – The House of Representatives and the Senate gave final approval Friday to a Department of Homeland Security spending bill that includes $21.3 billion for border protection and immigration enforcement for the coming year, including $1.2 billion for border fencing and other barriers to illegal entry, Congressman Jerry Lewis announced. Approval of the bill in both chambers was nearly unanimous.

Approval of the Fiscal Year 2007 Appropriations bill for the department highlighted the continuing drive by the House of Representatives to protect the nation’s borders from terrorists, drug smugglers and illegal immigrants, said Lewis, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, which drafted the bill. President Bush has said he will sign the legislation, which becomes effective at the beginning of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1.

“The Appropriations Committee is responding to the insistence by our constituents that we must gain control of our borders and immigration enforcement for the sake of our national security,” Lewis said. “In the past two years, we have boosted annual spending for border security by nearly 20 percent – in addition to the $2.5 billion for immigration enforcement in two emergency funding bills we passed last spring. We are committed to providing the border security our nation needs.”

Over the past two years, the Appropriations Committee has provided funds that will enable the Department of Homeland Security to:

-         Hire an additional 5,000 Border Patrol agents to bring the total to 14,800.

-         Hire nearly 1,000 additional Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to improve interior enforcement of immigration laws.

-         Add more than 10,000 detention beds, to bring the total to more than 27,500.

-         Build nearly 400 miles of secure border fences in San Diego and Tucson , as well as add hundreds of new vehicles, sensors, cameras and other border infrastructure to deter drug smuggling and illegal immigration.

Other border security highlights of the FY 2007 Homeland Security bill include:

-         $5.1 billion for the Secure Border Initiative, a long-range plan to upgrade facilities throughout the U.S.-Mexican border.

-         $3.1 billion for the Coast Guard’s homeland security missions;

-         $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 nation-wide, an increase of 23;

-         $137 million for the Criminal Alien Program;

-         $44 million for Alternatives to Detention;

-         $362 million for the US-VISIT program; and

-         $135 million to support immigration verification systems.

The appropriations bill also enacts criminal penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment for individuals who knowingly construct or finance the construction of an unauthorized tunnel across a U.S. international border.  Individuals who recklessly permit the construction of such a tunnel on their own property can be liable for up to 10 years of imprisonment. Penalties are doubled from the current standards for individuals caught using such a tunnel to smuggle aliens, contraband, drugs, weapons or terrorists. This language is identical to the Border Tunnel Prevention Act that was passed by the House this month, Lewis said.

The House has also approved a number of other immigration reform measures this year, emphasizing the commitment to improve border security, Lewis said. They include:

• H.R. 6094 - Community Protection Act of 2006, which implements a process to extend the amount of time criminal aliens can be detained, enabling DHS to keep these criminals from being released back into society if they are not deported. Allows for expedited removal of criminal aliens and expands the authority to detain and deport alien gang members.

• H.R. 6095 - Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006, which reaffirms the authority of state and local law enforcement to enforce immigration laws.  Increases the number of attorneys dedicated to prosecuting immigration cases, and closes loopholes to allow greater implementation of “catch and return” as opposed to “catch and release.”

• H.R. 4437 - Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005, which authorizes  funding for a 25 percent annual increase in the number of detection canines to be deployed at ports and along the border. Authorizes grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement that enforce federal immigration law and border security. Authorizes any officer who enforces criminal law to make arrests under the anti-human smuggling provisions. Authorizes sheriffs along the border to enter agreements with DHS under which they can take illegal immigrants into custody. Prohibits assisting a person to reside or remain in the United States , in knowing or reckless disregard of the fact that such person is an illegal who lacks lawful authority to reside in or remain in the United States . Violation punishable by fines and/or up to five years in jail. Makes illegal presence a felony. An illegal immigrant caught in the United States or attempting unauthorized entry would face fines and/or up to a year and a day in jail.

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