Border Security Funding Stripped In Conference Committee

November 10, 2007

Wednesday, the conference committee on the Department of Defense Appropriations bill (H.R. 3222) stripped two critical provisions aimed at securing the border. The first provision stripped was an amendment offered by Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and agreed to by unanimous consent that would have kept 6,000 National Guard troops on the border through September 30, 2008 (S.A. 3192). Members of the conference committee replaced this provision with language funding only 3,000 troops through July of 2008-consistent with the Bush Administration's plan to draw down the National Guard troops from the border. The second provision stripped would have authorized an additional $3 billion to be spent for increasing border patrol agents, building the fence border and funding the 287(g) program. This funding language was originally offered to the DOD Appropriations bill by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and co-sponsored by 13 other Senators. The amendment (S.A. 3117) was adopted on a vote of 95 to 1.

These provisions were essentially the only serious and meaningful immigration reforms Congress passed this year, according to the Federation For Immigration Reform (FAIR). Yanking them out of the DOD Appropriations Bill is further proof that Congress is not serious about true immigration reform.

FAIR is asking concerned citizens to call your Congressman and Senators and demand that they restore this funding! Tell them that you want the Operation Jump Start provision and the $3 Billion Border Security provision put back into H.R. 3222, the Department of Defense Appropriations Bill!

Remind them that you opposed the Bush-Kennedy Amnesty bill because you wanted true immigration reform-not a reward for illegal activity. Let them know you are watching this issue and keeping track of how they vote.

To find the phone number of your Representative and Senators, click here.

Source: Federation For Immigration Reform