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Skriven 2006-05-18 23:33:20 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0605186) for Thu, 2006 May 18
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Fact Sheet: President Requests Funds to Strengthen Border Security
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 18, 2006

Fact Sheet: President Requests Funds to Strengthen Border Security


ÿÿÿÿÿ In Focus: Immigration ÿÿÿÿÿ

Today, the President sent Congress a request for $1.948 billion in
emergency funding to help secure America's borders. The request includes
funding for the first 1,000 of 6,000 new border patrol agents that will be
deployed in the next two years and the resources to train them, the
temporary deployment of up to 6,000 National Guard troops to assist the
Border Patrol with surveillance and logistics, new border security
technology and infrastructure, and 4,000 new detention beds.
  þ The President believes America can be a lawful society and a welcoming
    society at the same time. We will fix the problem of illegal
    immigration, and we will deliver a system that is secure, orderly, and
    fair.
  þ Border security is part of the President's vision for comprehensive
    immigration reform. The President outlined to the American people
    Monday night a five-point plan that includes increased border security,
    a temporary worker program, accountability for employers, a strategy to
    deal with the millions of illegal immigrants who are already here
    without granting amnesty, and continuing America's melting pot
    tradition.
  þ Today's request does not increase the cost of the Administration's
    supplemental request. These funds are offset by reductions elsewhere in
    the Administration's original emergency request for the War on Terror.
    The President will veto the emergency supplemental appropriations bill
    if it exceeds $92.2 billion for any reason other than funding needed to
    prepare for a possible avian flu pandemic or if it includes
    non-emergency or wasteful spending.

Department of Homeland Security: $1.172 billion

Customs and Border Protection _
  þ More Border Patrol Agents: $235 million for 1,000 new Border Patrol
    agents and related support costs, $50 million for additional recruiting
    and expanded training capacity at the Border Patrol Academy, $25
    million to expand the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, and $20
    million for additional office staff to free-up agents for law
    enforcement duties. Funding for 1,500 additional agents was included in
    the President's FY2007 Budget and funding for 3,500 agents will be
    sought over the next two years, in order to deploy 6,000 new agents by
    the end of 2008.
  þ Increased Physical Security: $250 million for enhanced security
    infrastructure including vehicle barriers, lighting, all-weather roads,
    and fencing, as well as $75 million for new high-tech communication and
    command and control resources.
  þ More Air Support: $95 million for two additional unmanned aerial
    vehicles and five additional helicopters.
  þ New Facilities and Equipment: $50 million for new and expanded
    stations, checkpoints, and forward operating bases to accommodate new
    agents and their supplies, and $30 million to replace worn-out vehicles
    in the Border Patrol's 9,000-vehicle pool.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement _
  þ Detention Beds to End Catch-and-Release: $80 million for 4,000 new
    beds, which will help end catch-and-release along the southern border.
  þ Detention Staff: $70 million for detention and removal staff and $30
    million for enhanced fugitive operations and detention alternatives.
  þ Increased Removal and Transportation: $97 million to transport aliens
    and return them to their own countries.
  þ Assisting State and Local Efforts: $50 million to train state and local
    law enforcement authorities to assist the Border Patrol and other
    Federal officers on targeted enforcement missions, and $15 million for
    "Operation Stonegarden" initiatives in selected states to enable state,
    local, and tribal law enforcement personnel to coordinate directly with
    Federal Customs and Border Protection personnel to increase patrol
    presence, provide traffic-control support at the border and at
    checkpoints, and participate in Integrated Border Enforcement Teams.

National Guard: $756 million
  þ To Help During This Period Of Transition And In Coordination With
    Governors, Up To 6,000 National Guard Members Will Be Sent To Our
    Southern Border. The Department of Homeland Security, and specifically
    the Border Patrol, will remain in the lead. National Guard units will
    assist the Border Patrol by operating surveillance systems, analyzing
    intelligence, installing fences and vehicle barriers, building patrol
    roads, and providing training. National Guard units deployed to our
    border will not be involved in direct law enforcement activities - that
    duty will be done by the Border Patrol.
  þ This Initial Commitment Of Guard Members Would Last For One Year. After
    that, the number of National Guard members will be reduced as new
    Border Patrol agents are added and new technologies come online. At any
    one time, these 6,000 Guard members account for less than 2 percent of
    the total National Guard force of more than 440,000. Guard members will
    be deployed in two- to three-week rotations to meet this 6,000 person
    level. We have enough National Guard members to deploy to our border,
    while continuing to respond to natural disasters and fight and win the
    War on Terror.
  þ The President Is Committed To Working With Our Nation's Governors.
    Military personnel will be employed consistent with applicable Federal,
    state, and local law. The National Guard Bureau will serve as the
    coordinating authority to deploy National Guard units from across the
    country to perform the border security mission in support of DHS. The
    National Guard units will remain under the command and control of their
    respective State Governors and Adjutants General.
  þ The United States Is Not Going To Militarize The Southern Border.
    Mexico is our neighbor and friend. We will continue to work
    cooperatively to improve security on both sides of the border, confront
    common problems like drug trafficking and crime, and reduce illegal
    immigration.

Department of Justice: $20 million. New funding is requested for additional
administrative law judges, immigration attorneys, and technical and
clerical staff to support the timely disposition of an expected increase in
immigration hearings, and new funding for enhanced law enforcement efforts
by United States Attorneys along the southern border.

The Request does not increase the cost of the Administration's supplemental
request. The President has promised to veto the emergency supplemental bill
if it exceeds $92.2 billion for any reason other than for preparations for
a possible avian flu pandemic or if it includes non-emergency or wasteful
spending. Today's request is consistent with that promise. The funds are
fully offset by reductions elsewhere in the Administration's original
February supplemental request by delaying certain less-urgent military
procurement efforts to future appropriations legislation. There will be no
proposed reductions that would impact personnel or operational activities
necessary to the War on Terror. Many of these offsets are similar to ones
already identified by Congress.

The House And Senate Must Pass A Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill
  þ All Elements Of This Problem Must Be Addressed Together - Or None Of
    Them Will Be Solved At All. The House has passed an immigration bill.
    The Senate should act by the end of this month - so that the House and
    Senate can work out their differences and send the President a
    comprehensive bill to sign.
  þ America Needs To Conduct This Debate In A Reasoned And Respectful Tone.
    Feelings run deep on the matter of immigration - and as we work out
    this issue, all of us need to keep some things in mind. We cannot build
    a unified country by inciting people to anger, or playing on anyone's
    fears, or exploiting the issue of immigration for political gain. We
    must always remember that real lives will be affected by our debates
    and decisions, and that every human being has dignity and value no
    matter what their citizenship papers say.

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