Senator JD Vance (R-OH) criticized President Joe Biden’s request for Congress to fund a lump aid package for efforts in Ukraine, Israel, at the U.S.-Mexico border, and more.
The Biden admin wants money to flood our communities with illegal immigrants, and they have the audacity to call it “border security.”
If Republicans allow this package to move through, we’re useless. https://t.co/xPeOSBMOjk
— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) October 24, 2023
Vance specifically took issue with Biden’s intended funding for efforts at the border, writing on Twitter, “The Biden admin wants money to flood our communities with illegal immigrants, and they have the audacity to call it “border security.” If Republicans allow this package to move through, we’re useless.”
In his $105 billion funding request, approximately $14 billion would be intended for the following efforts to “secure” the U.S.-Mexico border and “stop the flow of fentanyl” into the U.S.:
- An additional 1,300 border patrol agents to work alongside the 20,200 agents already funded in the FY2024 Budget.
- Funding to deploy over 100 cutting-edge inspection machines to help detect fentanyl at our southwest border ports of entry.
- Additional 1,000 law enforcement personnel and investigative capabilities to prevent cartels from moving fentanyl into the country.
- 1,600 additional asylum officers to increase by 2.5 times the number of personnel that interview and adjudicate claims for asylum and facilitate timely decisions so that those who are ineligible can be quickly removed and those with valid claims can have faster resolution.
- 375 new immigration judge teams, the largest incremental request ever, to adjudicate and process immigration cases more quickly and help reduce the caseload backlog.
- Additional grants to local governments and non-profits to support the provision of temporary food, shelter, and other services for those recently released from DHS custody.
- Critical border management activities, including additional temporary holding facilities and detention beds for fair and fast processing for recent arrivals.
- Expansion of lawful pathways, including efforts to streamline the processing of eligible refugees and migrants through the Safe Mobility Offices Initiative.
- Support for eligible arrivals, including services to successfully resettle in the United States and become self-sufficient.
- Funding to conduct robust child labor investigations and enforcement, particularly to protect vulnerable migrant children entering the United States through the southern border.
- Reimbursement to the Department of Defense for its support provided along the southwest border in FY 2024.
In a letter to House Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10) outlining his funding proposal, Biden pinned the blame on Republican lawmakers for “playing political games with border security” and failing to “provide the resources our law enforcement personnel need to keep the Southwest border secure and stop the flow of fentanyl into the United States.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “JD Vance” by JD Vance. Photo “Joe Biden” by Joe Biden.
