WASHINGTON — The Bush administration wants to spend 19% more on border security and immigration enforcement in the next federal budget year, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Thursday.
In his annual budget request on Monday, President Bush will ask Congress to allocate $12.1 billion to construct more border fencing, hire more Border Patrol agents and expand the teams that conduct raids on businesses using illegal immigrants.
Conservatives and the president's fellow Republicans have consistently attacked the administration for its record on border security. And lawmakers from both parties have criticized the Homeland Security Department's management of the fence construction project. Chertoff pointed out Thursday that the request for the 2009 fiscal year marks an increase of more than 150% on border security and immigration enforcement spending since Bush took office.
"We will be continuing to build on the progress that we have made with respect to securing the border and enforcing the interior," Chertoff said.
He said that in each of the last five quarters there has been a decrease in the flow of illegal immigrants across the border with Mexico. He cited as evidence a drop in the number of illegal immigrants apprehended and anecdotal reports of declining criminal activity.
Chertoff would not discuss the full budget request for the Department of Homeland Security, which has 208,000 employees, for the next fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1.
"I am encouraged to see that the administration has prioritized border security," said Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security. "But the challenge is too great to be addressed by just adding more resources. Proper program management and accountability are needed to translate bold plans into real solutions."
Atty. Gen. Michael B. Mukasey also announced Thursday that the Justice Department budget request would include $100 million to bolster the fight against illegal immigration and drug and weapons smuggling in the Southwest. The money would be used to hire about 50 federal prosecutors and to reinforce operations at the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service and immigration courts, among other areas.
"Support for the full range of law enforcement operations along our southwest border is absolutely critical," Mukasey said in a statement.
