Civil rights groups are taking note of several billions in funds going toward anti-immigrant and border patrol measures in the 2024 fiscal year appropriations bill package signed by President Joe Biden Saturday night.
The appropriations bill will provide $9.6 billion to fund ICE — including $5.1 billion for enforcement and removal of migrants — and $3 million more for the body-worn cameras pilot, which was introduced in 2021 but only has five cities currently part of the program. It provides more than $19 billion in funding for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, including 22,000 more border patrol officers, “the highest level ever funded,” according to Republicans.
The American Civil Liberties Union last week said the government has failed to rein in Border Patrol and ICE’s “wasteful and harmful spending.” Advocates said more funds should be allocated to help cities address an influx of immigration instead of Congress’ continued punitive response.
“Instead of punishing people seeking safety here by putting them in detention, Congress should increase funding for the communities that are receiving them,” Mike Zamore, the National Director of Policy & Government Affairs at the ACLU, said in a statement. “This spending package will ultimately be ineffective in advancing actual solutions on immigration.”
Democrats said the bill does not provide funds for the border wall but that it does increase support for border security and child migrants’ wellbeing. About $30 million was set aside to support family reunification efforts, $6.5 million will fund the Migration Analysis Center to continue releasing DHS data for transparency, and $2 million was allocated for the agency’s Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. The Alternatives to Detention case management grant pilot program, which ensures noncitizens facing deportation have access to legal services, received $15 million.
Additionally, ICE will be required to cut contracts with detention…
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