Congressman Gerry Connolly said border security legislation he supported, which was signed into law Friday, will boost the nation’s border security by putting more Border Patrol agents and other security personnel on the ground and providing new technology and communications resources to prevent unlawful border crossings.

Connolly said the legislation provides $600 million to strengthen border security, including hiring 1,000 new border patrol agents, 250 Customs agents, and additional ATF, DEA, and FBI agents along the border.  It also increases the number of prosecutors and court resources to ensure that those who break the law can be quickly brought to justice.  He noted that the bill is fully paid for and does not increase the deficit.

“This is an example of how a bipartisan majority worked to achieve practical results, not ideological arguments,” Connolly said. 

Last year, Connolly led a bipartisan effort to reinstate federal funding to reimburse local communities for the costs of incarcerating criminal aliens in their jails.  The funds had been cut in the Administration’s budget proposal.  In the end, $400 million in funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) was approved.

As a result of Connolly’s efforts, Prince William and Fairfax Counties received more than $1.5 million to help cover the costs of incarcerating undocumented criminals convicted of felonies or multiple misdemeanors.  The Commonwealth of Virginia received an additional $1.7 million under the SCAAP program.

The border security legislation signed into law on Friday also provides for improvements in technology and communications that will help authorities with real-time information on unlawful border crossings.  “We need to seal our borders to unlawful entry and this law provides resources and personnel to help achieve that goal,” Connolly said.