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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The Trump administration wants more money from Congress for its immigration crackdown. A House committee cross examined the Homeland Security secretary over how she would use the funding.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem says a lot of the new money will go to mass deportations, but Democrats argue the administration is already misusing funds for that.
“We have literally millions of illegal aliens that have overstayed,” said Noem.
Noem is asking Congress for a major funding boost to continue the Trump administration’s mass deportations and border security efforts.
“Considering the amount of people that are in the country illegally, many of them perpetuating crimes, we need the resources to continue doing what President Trump has promised the American people,” said Noem.
President Trump’s budget calls for a 65% increase in funding for his immigration crackdown, including billions for the border wall and additional border patrol agents.
“It’s imperative that investments for effective border security enforcement are strong,” said Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.).
Republicans support the additional funding, but Democrats argue the Trump administration is misusing taxpayer dollars.
“You’ve wasted hundreds of millions of dollars on illegal detention and deportation,” said Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.).
Both sides of the aisle raised concerns about the administration’s plans to cut disaster relief funds.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is on track to run out of money this summer.
“Yourself and the president really want to dismantle the federal government and the agencies that have provided service to the American people for decades,” said Rep. Laura DeLauro (D-Conn.).
Noem defended President Trump’s suggestion to eliminate FEMA.