Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security At the Southern Border Act

Floor Speech

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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 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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