Statement from Congressman Horsford on the Senate’s Aid Package for the Southern Border Crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. —Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04) released the statement below following the U.S. House Of Representatives' vote on the Senate's aid package (H. Res. 466) to provide assistance to agencies at the southern border.
"We need to provide real assistance to the children and families in detention at the border. The Senate supplemental bill does not do enough to help those held in inconceivably inhumane conditions. I will not stand for legislation that funds the further disruption of the family unification process and the unnecessary jailing of children in non-compliant ‘influx facilities.'"
The Senate measure lacked the necessary oversight and additional funding for medical care reflected in the House Appropriations bill. It would allocate largely unchecked funds to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) responsible for the construction of "influx shelters" that operate outside of state licensing and are often among the least-well maintained shelters at the border. Additionally, the bill would give funding to Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) with limited restrictions on the placement of the funds.The Department of Defense would receive funds to continue jailing families and children on military bases near the border, as well, despite repeated warnings of the negative impact these facilities have on detainees.
Congressman Horsford has a record of supporting strong, smart, and effective border security and is continuing to work in Congress to keep families united and offer a pathway to citizenship.
In January, Congressman Horsford supported a House-passed measure to strengthen our ports of entry—the locations where the vast majority of drugs, and weapons enter the country. The bill allocated funds for contraband scanning technology and an increase in customs personnel, as well as advanced technology to detect unauthorized crossings. It also included money for immigration judges to reduce the backlog of immigration cases.
This year, Congressman Horsford was an original co-sponsor of theDream and Promise Act of 2019, a landmark bill that will create a path to citizenship for dreamers and protect Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients from being forced to leave the country they love.
During his previous term in the House, Congressman Horsford was anoriginal co-sponsor of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act—a bipartisan,comprehensivereform bill that would have provided a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and strengthened border security.
Congressman Horsford's fight for the dignity of those at the border will not end with this funding package; he will continue to push Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform that will strengthen our national security, stop the separation of families and protect Nevada's immigrant communities.