President Obama Wants $600 Million More for U.S.-Mexican Border
EmailIn a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., sent earlier today, President Obama requested that $600 million be spent to "support efforts to secure the Southwest border and enhance Federal border protection, law enforcement, and counternarcotics activities," including the deployment of 1,200 National Guardsmen along the US-Mexican border, as the president previously announced.
A White House official said the money would in part help "support a vigorous battle against the drug cartels along the Southwest border."
The president requested that the "proposals be considered as emergency requirements," meaning they would not be subject to Congress's pay-as-you-go requirements. The president proposed that $100 million of the request be re-directed from finds previously authorized for the SBInet (Secure Border Initiative) program that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is currently reviewing.
Funding for the National Guard deployment is also coming from a pre-existing $135 million in the Pentagon and DHS budgets.
DHS will receive an additional $399 million to fund:
• 1,000 new Border Patrol agents ($297 million);
• 160 new Immigration and Customers Enforcement agents ($52.5 million);
• two new unmanned aerial detection systems ($37 million);
• 30 new Customs and Border Protection officers ($6.5 million); and
• 20 new CBP canine teams ($6 million).
The Justice Department will receive an additional $201 million to fund:
• seven ATF Gunrunner Teams;
• six FBI Hybrid Task Forces;
• additional DEA agents, equipment, and operational support;
• additional attorneys and immigration judges;
• additional detention and incarceration resources for criminal illegal immigrants;
• Mexican law enforcement operations with ballistic analysis, DNA analysis, information sharing, technical capabilities, and technical assistance.
– Jake Tapper
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I can’t wait to hear the Republicans tell us we need to secure the border right away….for free.
Posted by: Skip | June 22, 2010, 10:36 pm 10:36 pm
I’m glad to hear this. Between the drug trade, the drug war in Mexico and human trafficking, we need to control our border.
Posted by: Lydia | June 22, 2010, 10:37 pm 10:37 pm
Seems to be in reaction to Senator Kyl. Good start.
I guess “free” = cutting elsewhere. How. Dare. They.
Posted by: Chris | June 22, 2010, 10:44 pm 10:44 pm
Finally our money spent on something worthwhile.
How much of our money is Obama wasting on a lawsuit against AZ?
Posted by: justin | June 22, 2010, 10:51 pm 10:51 pm
He is finally on the right track on this issue .. but there needs to be many more sent to the border. If we can send troops all over the world, we can send them to our border to secure it. This is the duty of our President. Hopefully this is just a start. If repubs or dems have anything negative to say about it their voters need to give them and ear full.
Posted by: LOL | June 23, 2010, 3:41 am 3:41 am
CAREFUL,Classic Obama bait and switch. Please see the action he plans. This Presidents words and actions are a means toward a completely different end. Example, tighten border and next step sign order for “deferred action” or parole to an entire group. This action was meant for a case by case review process, this President will claim he reviewed 10 million illegals on a case by case basis. Please see the June 21 2010 letter from seven Republican Senators warning Obama about his scheme. It says in part “”We understand that there’s a push for your administration to develop a plan to unilaterally extend either deferred action or parole to millions of illegal aliens in the United States,” they wrote in their letter. “We understand that the administration may include aliens who have willfully overstayed their visas or filed for benefits knowing that they will not be eligible for a status for years to come.”
“Deferred action” is granted by the Department of Homeland Security. It’s a short-term suspension of deportation hearings for illegal aliens. With “deferred action,” illegals are often allowed to apply for employment authorization cards.
The lawmakers noted that “deferred action” and parole are discretionary actions reserved for “individual cases that present unusual, emergent or humanitarian circumstances.”
“Deferred action and parole were not intended to be used to confer a status or offer protection to large groups of illegal aliens, even if the agency claims that they look at each case on a ‘case-by-case’ basis,”…….”The administration would be wise to abandon any plans for deferred action or parole for the illegal population,” they wrote. “Such a move would further erode the American public’s confidence in the federal government and its commitment to securing the borders and enforcing the laws already on the books.”
Posted by: pauldia | June 23, 2010, 7:14 am 7:14 am
Obama is a liar. He STILL has not sent the measly 1200 troops he agreed to months ago…He’s a political HACK. I find it hard to believe that ANYONE who is informed can continue to follow this mess of a man.
Posted by: mjishernameo | June 23, 2010, 7:36 am 7:36 am
I tend to agree with PAULDIA. I do trust Obama with doing this. At this time we could have the military on the border and take the money we give Mexico (billions) and use it.
Posted by: Jeff G | June 23, 2010, 7:36 am 7:36 am
“DHS will receive an additional $399 million to fund:
• 1,000 new Border Patrol agents ($297 million);
• 160 new Immigration and Customers Enforcement agents ($52.5 million);
…
• 30 new Customs and Border Protection officers ($6.5 million);”
Around $300,000 for each job? Nice, how do I get one?
Posted by: Dash | June 23, 2010, 8:10 am 8:10 am
Amazing how everything is an “emergency” to Democrats! So they dont have to actually raise the taxes, or cut the spending to pay for it.
Why is it an emergency? Did Obama just realize we have a southern border? Did he just suddenly realise we have an illegal immigration problem?
No, there is no excuse for asking for “emergency” spending, this is a problem that Democrats have known about, and done nothing about except CANCELLING the border fence, since they took control of congress almost four devastating years ago.
Yes Republicans want border security, and they want Democrats to grow up and pay for it, as Republicans did, and while they’re at it, Republicans want Democrats to pay for the trillions of other dollars they have put on the nation’s charge card.
And how much of Obama’s “emergency” border security will go to building a security fence, the only thing that will actually work to secure the border?
ZERO! Because Democrats dont WANT a secure border! Americans dont want to be dependent on the Democrat party, so Democrats are hoping to import voters who will.
Posted by: American Elephant | June 23, 2010, 8:15 am 8:15 am
Please all he is doing is making sure that millions more illegals will be able to safely make their way to the US and to the voting booths. Obama will be signing an executive order giving blanket amnesty in the next few months..it will cover all illegals here AND their family members no matter where they are living in the world. They will then get fast track citizenship…in time for his re-election bid in 2012. There will literally be millions of absentee ballots coming from Mexico for the presidental election in 2012. People will be voting who have NEVER set foot in America. This IS the plan…they have already started working on it. Our laws, our country and our existence as a sovereign nation means NOTHING to the traitor and idiot in the white house.
Posted by: Kettler | June 23, 2010, 8:16 am 8:16 am
Uh, oh. He just got caught saying no border security without amnesty. Now he’s got to fix the boo boo so he can further hoodwink the American press.
Posted by: Jen | June 23, 2010, 8:17 am 8:17 am
Little too late and too little. Drop the threat of lawsuit, tell Mexico to shut up and fix their own problems, and send bullets with the guard, not desks.
Posted by: Amazingoly | June 23, 2010, 8:26 am 8:26 am
He is requesting $200 million for more attorneys for illegal aliens! He wants the taxpayers to pay for these trespassing illegal thugs attorneys!
Stop the madness!
Posted by: Karen | June 23, 2010, 8:36 am 8:36 am
300K/yr per agent?????
Posted by: l | June 23, 2010, 8:47 am 8:47 am
Obama doesn’t want No Such Thing.. He has NO intention of Securing an Inch more of the border.
He wants yet Another “Slush Fund” of solvent money to push Unionization of More Govt’ Employees. Besides, he could in an instant, call up National Guard troops, have them go through 2 weeks of Border patrol additional training and they would be ready for Border Security.. (That is if they actually get to go to the border and they aren’t patrolling with empty magazines).
We are at War… America is being Invaded..and Obama is Cheering the Criminals and Drug Lords on from his Luxury Suites in the Whitehouse.
Posted by: Mark D | June 23, 2010, 9:12 am 9:12 am
“A White House official said the money would in part help “support a vigorous battle against the drug cartels along the Southwest border.”" – ABC News
That’s a good start.
$600 Million isn’t much when you consider the security of the Nation is at stake but let’s give NoBo some Kudos, it’s a move in the right direction.
Now, what are we going to do to round up the illegals that are already in the country, especially the bad guys? Is Obama going to ask for local governments to be on the look out for illegal invaders so we can apprehend them and deport them for good?
What about finishing the Fence?
There are good stimulus jobs to be had there!
Posted by: Noz | June 23, 2010, 9:40 am 9:40 am
The democratic house is incapable to produce a budget for the coming year, now the want to spend more money, where does it come from????????
Posted by: Lizzie | June 23, 2010, 9:49 am 9:49 am
Lets see three weeks ago Obama told the Arizona Governor he was sending 1200 National Guard to the border. Where are they? Did he lie again? You damned right he did.
Posted by: savage24 | June 23, 2010, 10:28 am 10:28 am
Prelude to an executive order legalizing 30 million illegals already here?
Posted by: george | June 23, 2010, 11:39 am 11:39 am
george,
You do not need to fear that Obama will legalize illegal immigrants by executive order. He does not have the power. The Constitution is very clear that Congress has complete authority over immigration. As a former constitutional professor, Obama knows that better than you.
As for the Arizona immigration law, just know that the Justice Department will be filing the lawsuit. These people are professionals, they know what they are doing, and they don’t like to lose.
Posted by: anthony | June 23, 2010, 1:15 pm 1:15 pm
Maybe we could use some of that stimulus money that Obama is spending to pay off Goldman Sachs with to pay for securing the Border.
Hah! I’d say it’s more likely Obama is helping to rearm the coyote’s / drug runners after they use ammo to shoot at local law enforcement.
Posted by: wayne | June 23, 2010, 1:19 pm 1:19 pm
. four calling birds
. three French hens
. two turtle doves
. …
Posted by: Dontget818 | June 23, 2010, 2:35 pm 2:35 pm
Tax allocation Lizzie
Posted by: TV | June 23, 2010, 3:44 pm 3:44 pm
Kettler | Jun 23, 2010 8:16:13 AM posted: “Please all he is doing is making sure that millions more illegals will be able to safely make their way to the US and to the voting booths.” Where does the rabid right wing come up with this conspiracy theory junk?
You may recall that even George W. Bush attempted comprehensive immigration reform, but he didn’t have the remaining political capital to get it past Congressional conservatives. Now WHY would a staunch Republican want immigration reform? It’s the ECONOMY.
See, US agriculture would collapse without migrant labor – we need low end labor throughout the country to handle a wide range of jobs. If every illegal disappeared today we’d be in serious trouble – crops would not be planted, harvests would rot in the fields, and who will gut chickens all day for less than minimum wage? Imagine how right wing nuts would howl when food prices skyrocketed at their local markets.
We need fair reform for everyone: Workers need safe conditions, employers need low cost labor, and Americans need assurance we are not padding the voting booths. People who do see the value of comprehensive immigration reform are either in some lobbyist’s pocket, xenophobic, or unable to comprehend the big picture.
Posted by: green.goddess | June 23, 2010, 5:47 pm 5:47 pm
Even the HINT of ANY amnesty-type action by Obama will ruin EVERY Democrat’s chance for elected office for the next 20 years. American CITIZENS want the southern border to be LOCKED DOWN, PERIOD!! Only welfare recipients and ILLEGAL aliens support Obama’s amnesty plans.
Obama, Pelosi and Reid are hell-bent on having the Democrat Party seen 20 years from now in the same light as the Whig and Bull Moose parties: EXTINCT!! All patriotic Americans (especially young ones) NEED to go vote and throw out the LIBERTY-ROBBING, HIGH-TAXING, MORALLY BANKRUPT Democrats in 2010 and 2012!! Your freedom DEPENDS on it……
Posted by: Todd | June 23, 2010, 6:18 pm 6:18 pm
I will believe it when I see it. Obama will promise us anything to destract us from what he is really doing to us. Now if George Soros tells Obama to do it it will be done!!
Posted by: skip gainer | June 24, 2010, 1:18 am 1:18 am
The six million will probably go to Mexico, and right into the pockets of the government, the elite and the drug lords…all one and the same!
Posted by: June | June 24, 2010, 3:25 pm 3:25 pm
The border is a distraction from the most effective solution – mandatory E-Verify for all jobs in the US even business licensees. Do not fall into this trap. 40% of illegals are visa overstays. We also need the visa entry/exit tracking system we should have had by now, plus better border security.
Posted by: mary | June 24, 2010, 4:24 pm 4:24 pm
Obama is only throwing some money at the border so he can tell everyone that he is serious about securing the border so he can get comprehensive immigration reform (amnesty)passed. Once he gets amnesty, he will pull back the border patrol. They’ve done it before – they’ve pulled back the National Guard and they’ve cut back on the Border Patrol along with stopping the funding for the double-layer wall. Everything Obama says and does on illegal immigration is done with one goal in mind: amnesty for 20 to 30 million illegals and votes for the democrats.
Posted by: Justie | June 24, 2010, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm
I am sure this money will go to the red carpet he plans to put on the border. I don’t trust him, we have seen his agenda!
Posted by: Julie B | June 24, 2010, 7:32 pm 7:32 pm