Staff Reports
When President Biden and his Department of Homeland Security team submitted their budget proposal to Congress, it sparked skepticism among lawmakers. At a time when the border situation was tumultuous, the request for reduced funding and fewer detention beds raised eyebrows. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Tae Johnson attempted to justify these proposals by citing the need for technological upgrades and policy adjustments, a claim met with skepticism.
However, within a mere six months, the Biden administration found itself reversing course, now seeking increased funding for detention beds and deportation flights. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas expressed frustration, claiming that his immigration enforcement agencies had been "perennially under-resourced." Critics point out that Mayorkas himself played a role in reducing their funding over the past three years, consistently advocating for cuts to ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) funding, proposing the elimination of border wall funding, reduction of detention space, and reallocating funds toward catch-and-release policies.
Mayorkas changes tune on need for more border money after repeatedly seeking cuts https://t.co/B0joxLzsQo
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) November 24, 2023
Mayorkas is currently requesting a substantial $14 billion in emergency funds for the border situation. Some of these funds are allocated to Health and Human Services to address the needs of a record number of illegal immigrant children, while others are directed to FEMA to support communities grappling with the influx of newcomers.
Surprisingly, President Biden, who previously opposed additional detention beds, is now seeking funds for more detention space and deportation flights. The administration is also pursuing funding to expedite asylum processing and issue work permits to caught-and-released illegal immigrants.
In a curious move, Biden is requesting funds for 1,300 new Border Patrol agents, despite the existing challenge of filling currently funded positions. Senators, including Shelley Moore Capito, have raised concerns about the attrition of 700 agents in the past year, exposing apparent flaws in the hiring process.
Examining the financial history, when Mayorkas assumed office in 2021, CBP had a budget of $19.3 billion. However, Mayorkas and Biden's initial budget proposal sought a $2.9 billion reduction, a move rejected by Congress, which approved $18.5 billion instead. This pattern of attempted budget cuts by Mayorkas for ICE and CBP, met with Congress consistently allocating more funds, has created a recurring budgetary tug-of-war.
The evident struggle of the Biden administration in navigating budgetary challenges for border security and immigration enforcement, coupled with reported leadership vacancies in both CBP and ICE, paints a picture of an administration grappling with the complexities of funding and organizational stability.
