The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday released its 2019 spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security that includes $5 billion to go toward “border security assets and infrastructure,” including more than 200 miles of new barrier construction along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The $5 billion would be for “physical barriers and associated technology along the U.S. southern border,” including $126 million for border technology, according to Republicans on the committee.
“This funding bill provides the resources to begin building a wall along our southern border, enhance our existing border security infrastructure, hire more border patrol agents, and fund detention operations,” said Rep. Kevin Yoder, Kansas Republican and chairman of the homeland security appropriations subcommittee.
The Senate’s 2019 homeland security spending bill, which has cleared the appropriations committee, provides $1.6 billion for 65 miles of fencing in the Rio Grande Valley Sector for fiscal 2019, which starts on Oct. 1.
The $1.6 billion is in line with the White House’s official request, though President Trump has said in recent months he’d like more money for his desired U.S.-Mexico border wall.
Mr. Yoder had said Mr. Trump would be pleased with the amount of wall money in his bill. He said last week he hopes the full committee can pass it before House lawmakers head out of town for their five-week break in August.
Overall, the House bill provides $51.4 billion in discretionary spending for DHS — a $3.7 billion increase from current year funding.
It also includes $7.4 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — $328 million above the current level — that envisions the hiring of 400 additional law enforcement officers and support staff....
The bill also includes $4.1 billion for detention and removal programs, including 44,000 detention beds, or 3,480 more than the current year.