EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND SECURITY AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER ACT; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 110
(Senate - June 28, 2019)
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[Pages S4672-S4673]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND
SECURITY AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER ACT
Mr. BOOKER. Mr. President, today I wish to speak about S. 1900, the
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and
Security at the Southern Border Act. I understand there is some
important funding in the bill to deal with President Trump's
manufactured crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, particularly funding for
the Department of Health and Human Services. However, I cannot in good
conscience support a bill that provides additional resources to the
Department of Homeland Security at a time when we are seeing this
agency commit so many gross human rights violations. I want to make my
position clear: I do not support this bill in its entirety, and I would
have voted against it.
Both U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, and U.S. Customs
and Border Patrol, CBP, have already benefited from increased funding
in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 and, as we have seen, have used that
funding to ramp up their inhumane policies. Policies like ``metering'',
which forces migrants to wait in Mexico for weeks, sometimes months, in
order to enter the United States and claim their legal right to asylum.
We know that ``metering'' has resulted in the deaths of families
seeking refuge, like Oscar Alberto Martinez and his 23-month-old
Valeria just this week. Policies like the zero-tolerance policy, which
has separated thousands of children from their families and continues
to this day. These policies are unacceptable and do not reflect who we
are as Americans. Everyone should be outraged as what is happening at
the hand of this administration and DHS.
Just last week Donald Trump tweeted that he would begin ICE
deportation raids across the United States. At a time when the Trump
administration is claiming that it does not have enough money to deal
with the humanitarian crisis at the Southwest border, it is puzzling
how DHS has enough resources to conduct large-scale raids all across
the United States. How is there money for raids that would terrorize
communities yet not enough money for providing soap, blankets, and
toothbrushes for children in the government's custody?
Repeatedly, this administration has chosen to implement policies that
cost more and are less efficient in order to pursue its extreme
immigration agenda. If ICE and CBP are in need of extra funding, then
they should implement policies that save money, like further utilizing
alternatives to detention, ATDs. The government's own statistics
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demonstrate that ATDs work and save money.
People are frightened, and they are returning to the shadows. It is
weakening the safety of our communities, and it is an affront to the
ideals of the United States. I will not support funding which further
endangers the lives of immigrants who have every right to remain in
this country and those fleeing violence and seeking shelter in our
country. Those of us in positions of power have an obligation to stand
up for all people and stand against abuses especially at the hands of
our government. Instead of rubberstamping additional funding, I will
continue to do this and hold this administration accountable. Thank
you.
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