Sinema and Kelly secure critical funding for non-governmental organizations, improved border security technology, migrant transportation, and Border Patrol hiring and retention
Sinema secured language establishing migrant processing facilities that is similar to her Bipartisan Border Solutions Act
WASHINGTON – Arizona Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly delivered key priorities to help Arizona manage the current migrant crisis and secure the border, keep Arizona communities safe, and ensure migrants are treated fairly and humanely.
“Arizona’s border communities, non-profit organizations, and our Department of Homeland Security Agents and Officers serve on the front lines of the migrant crisis. These critical resources will help secure the border through improved technology and additional personnel, manage the flow of migrants to keep Arizona communities safe, and provide Arizona non-profits and DHS the resources needed to ensure migrants are treated fairly and humanely,” said Senator Sinema, Chair of the Senate Border Management Subcommittee.
“The crisis at the border continues to put a strain on our communities and law enforcement as they work to maintain a safe and orderly process. It’s critical that we are bringing needed technology, personnel, and other resources to improve border security. I’ll keep working with my Republican and Democratic colleagues in the Senate and continue pushing the Biden administration to ensure Arizona does not bear the cost of this crisis,” said Senator Kelly.
Among the priorities Sinema and Kelly secured for border management are:
Hiring and Retention: $100 million for Border Patrol hiring and retention, and an additional $23million for onsite mental health clinicians and resiliency efforts for CBP.
Border Management Capacity: Over $993 million to CBP and $239 million to ICE for border management costs, including migrant processing and transportation, personnel overtime, and other costs associated with border management requirements.
Border Security Technology: $276 million for border security technology acquisition and deployment.
Ports of Entry Technology: $55 million for non-intrusive inspection systems to reach 100 percent screening and enhance CBP’s effectiveness in detecting illicit goods while increasing the efficiency of the ports. Additional $10 million for other technology for Ports of Entry.
Dennis DeConcini Port of Entry: $500,000 to do a feasibility study to develop a plan to modernize the Port to improve border security and efficiency of cross-border travel and trade.
Joint Processing Centers: $200 million for two permanent processing facilities near the border to help manage migrant flows, improve efficiency and protect migrants and communities.
Emergency Food and Shelter Program: $150 million for the migrant assistance portion of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, representing a 36 percent increase from previous year. Funding goes to non-governmental organizations and communities that provide food, shelter, transportation, and other vital services to migrants.
Migrant Transportation: Expansion of migrant transportation authority, giving DHS better ability to manage migrant surges.
Asylum Processing: $275 million to address the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services backlog by hiring additional personnel, including asylum officers and refugee officers.