The White House made a significant announcement on Thursday, outlining serious consequences for border management due to a funding crisis. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is expected to scale down operations at the southern border imminently.
In a press briefing, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre expressed that the current fiscal challenges are attributed to the Republican-led Congress’s failure to approve a crucial bipartisan border security bill. This financial package included aid for Israel and Ukraine, which also encompassed funding for border security measures.
According to Jean-Pierre, the standoff on Capitol Hill surrounding the agreement has left the White House with limited options, necessitating a drawback from critical border activities. She emphasized that partisan politics are overshadowing the need for national security, which is taking a backseat to the impasse in Congress.
Jean-Pierre detailed the constraints faced by ICE, “Over the coming weeks, ICE will be forced to reduce operations because of budget shortfalls.” She correlated these reductions directly to Congress’s inadequate responses to the administration’s funding appeals.
Further exposing the tension with the legislature, Jean-Pierre reiterated the administration’s multiple requests for additional funds and resources to address the situation at the border. She highlighted the continuous lack of adequate congressional support, noting that the requests have either been partially met or outright dismissed.
To wrap up, Jean-Pierre reaffirmed the administration’s stance, “We have asked Congress for additional funding and resources, and every time Congress has provided less than we asked for, or most recently, completely ignored our supplemental request.” The statement underpins the administration’s struggle to maintain comprehensive operations at the southern border in the face of political and fiscal adversity.
