President Obama will seek $3.7 billion in emergency funds from Congress to meet the country's “moral obligation” to care for unaccompanied minors who have flooded in recent months to the southwestern border, White House officials said Tuesday.
Nearly half the money would go to the Department of Health and Human Services for food, housing and medical care for the tens of thousands of children and teenagers who have arrived at the border, senior administration officials told reporters.
The rest of the money would be aimed at deterring further migrants by strengthening law enforcement, going after smuggling networks that ferry people from Central America and expanding the number of deportation hearings.
The spending plan, nearly double the $2 billion the White House initially said was the minimum amount it would seek, is certain to raise concern among budget hawks in Congress.
The request reflects the president’s dilemma in responding to the estimated 52,000 children who have crossed the border since October, many of them reporting that they’re fleeing violence in their home countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.
Obama has called the border situation a humanitarian crisis and is under pressure from advocates for immigrants to treat the arriving children humanely. At the same time, White House officials say they need to quickly find a way to stop the flood of new arrivals and send a message to families in Central America that the migrants are not welcome and will be returned to their home countries.
Advisors to the president are mindful of both tasks -- and of the varying constituencies paying close attention.
Read more at the LA Times site.
2 comments:
Og and I have an idea:
Build the fence. Less than a quarter of the 2 billion dollars, much less 3.7
http://neanderpundit.com/?p=6478
Man, Obummer sure dug a hole deep this time, humanitarian crisis my ass. Come the fall and these kids are going to school, the Schumer is really going to hit the fan.
Some television and magazine spots in the Central American countries would be 1st step - make them aware that the previous invitation of promised amnesty will NOT occur, that is what got this whole invasion going in the 1st place. Talk of that is what inspired this, I'm pretty certain.
I don't blame them for coming, many of them have a bad situation at home, but migrating here will only make it harder for America.
And what of that - the poor AMERICANS don't need help ? I'm sure there will be a lot of resentment if THEIR benefits are reduced because of this.
The lifeboat is only so big.
Thanks busted.
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