Gonzales: These cuts are unacceptable, especially as these agencies struggle to deal with a 20-year high in migration.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) on Tuesday spoke out against decreased funding for Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the FY2022 Homeland Security Appropriations bill. Congressman Gonzales also later spoke in support of an amendment to block a $50 million pilot program that uses taxpayer funds to provide legal representation for migrants crossing the southern border. Democrats ultimately voted against the amendment, moving forward with the program.

“We have expressed a dramatic need for more resources, yet we defund them,” said Congressman Gonzales in his opening remarks. “That includes more agents, especially when the men and women in green are being pulled off the front lines to assist in the processing facilities. We cannot afford to defund CBP and ICE.”

Watch his full opening remarks here.  

 TRANSCRIPT EXCERPT

“There needs to be more done to support CBP and ICE on their mission to protect national security. Unfortunately, this bill does the opposite, and reduces funding over the last year by nearly $1 billion for CBP - billion, with a “B” - and hundreds of millions for ICE’s enforcement operation. This bill fails to include any funding for additional border agents. We have a crisis, and yet we are not adding any border agents to the solution. 

These cuts are unacceptable, especially as these agencies struggle to deal with a 20-year high in migration. I know this from firsthand experience. My district spans the largest stretch of U.S.-Mexico border – over 820 miles – with three separate border patrol sectors: the El Paso, Del Rio and Big Bend sectors. While each of these sectors present unique challenges, all have seen dramatic increases in the number of migrants that they are encountering. 

We have expressed a dramatic need for more resources, yet we defund them. That includes more agents, especially when the men and women in green are being pulled off the front lines to assist in the processing facilities. We cannot afford to defund CBP and ICE. 

A visit to my district shows that our situation at the southern border has many consequences. It is affecting our ranchers who have dealt with the increase in trespassing and, in some cases, damage to the property. It is affecting our local law enforcement who have been dispatched to deal with a record number of high-speed chases and stash houses for human smuggling. It also affects migrants themselves, who have perished in the unforgiving terrain on their way to our country especially, in the brutal summer heat. In fact, I have received countless number of calls from county officials on the need for more body bags for the increase in migrant deaths. CBP has already rescued 35 percent more individuals than the previous fiscal year. 

In Del Rio alone, 24 deceased migrants have been recovered from heat exposure, and nearly 800 have been rescued in distress from heat related injuries. That is a narrative that is not being told. Border patrol agents work just as hard to rescue migrants and save lives. By using border technology, like rescue beacons, surveillance towers, and ground sensors, agents keep our border safe while conducting humanitarian crisis.”