Yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee approved the Homeland Security Appropriations bill. The appropriations bill is what fund the Department of Homeland Security annually.
In that bill, the House will appropriate $1.6 billion to start construction of a wall on the US-Mexico border which was one of President Donald Trump’s main campaign topics.
There is also funding for cybersecurity, immigration enforcement, and border security. Congressman Tom Graves (R-GA-14) had this to say about the bill in a statement issued by his office:
“President Trump promised to build a wall and secure the border,” said Rep. Graves. “This bill gives the president the funds necessary to start construction. It also increases funding for border security and immigration enforcement, and makes key investments in cybersecurity. The bill is an America First funding bill that will help keep Georgians and all Americans safe.”
And his office sent a list of some of the bill’s highlights:
- Provides Customs and Border Protection $13.8 billion, an increase of $1.6 billion, to strengthen border security;
- Includes $1.6 billion for the construction of physical barriers at the border;
- Supports President Trump’s plan to address sanctuary cities and reinstates the Secure Communities Program to empower law enforcement to help the federal government identify and remove criminal illegal aliens;
- Provides funding to counter cross-border tunnel threats, deploy new ground sensors and construct additional watch towers;
- Includes $7 billion, $619.7 million more than last year, for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which supports law enforcement and removal activities as well as enhanced visa security to prevent terrorists and criminals from entering the country;
- Provides funding to hire 500 new Border Patrol Agents and 1,000 new ICE agents;
- Funds a Coast Guard HC-130J Air Search and Rescue aircraft, which is manufactured in Marietta, Georgia;
- Includes funding for the Federal Law Enforcement and Training Center (FLETC) in Georgia;
- Provides important funding for cybersecurity, including $1.37 billion to secure government networks and prevent cyberattacks.