Border Crisis: ‘We Are Running Out Of Money’

‘Congress Has Got To Pass A Supplemental Appropriation … For Humanitarian Relief, So That We Can Keep Our Operations Going’

“In response to the influx, the Trump administration has urged lawmakers to approve a $4.5 billion supplemental funding request that would cover housing for unaccompanied minors and detention for single adults, among other expenses.” (“Border Arrests Rose To Nearly 133K In May As Surge Continues,” Politico, 6/05/2019)

SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ALEX AZAR: “[W]e’re facing a humanitarian crisis at our border…. We are running out of money. We are functionally out of space. And we’re working with Congress. Congress has got to pass a supplemental appropriation that President Trump has asked for for humanitarian relief, so that we can keep our operations going, so we can add beds for these kids. Because we don’t have any say over whether these kids come across the border. We’ve just got to take care of them.” (Fox News’ “The Daily Briefing w/ Dana Perino,” 6/06/2019)

• SECRETARY AZAR: “[B]y early July, we may be out of funding. That’s why we’ve had to pull back on alternative services just as a legal requirement. If we do not have money to carry forward the rest of the year, we have to pull back … to only those services for life and safety because we have to get beds. We have to take care of kids. Because once we run out of money in several weeks, our employees will not get paid. Our grantees will not get paid. They will be operating on IOU’s…. This is a desperate crisis. These kids have to be taken care of. Congress must act and give us the funding we need. This is not about politics. It is purely a humanitarian issue of caring for these kids.” (Fox News’ “The Daily Briefing w/ Dana Perino,” 6/06/2019)

New York Times Editorial Board: ‘Congress, Give Trump His Border Money’

THE NEW YORK TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD: “President Trump is right: There is a crisis at the southern border…. [A]s record numbers of Central American families flee violence and poverty in their homelands, they are overwhelming United States border systems, fueling a humanitarian crisis of overcrowding, disease and chaos…. Something needs to be done. Soon. Unfortunately, political gamesmanship once again threatens to hold up desperately needed resources.” (Editorial, “Congress, Give Trump His Border Money,” The New York Times, 5/05/2019)

• “Funding for vital services is not expected to last through the fiscal year, [acting OMB Director Russell] Vought said [in a letter to Congress]. Most urgently, the program that deals with unaccompanied minors is expected to run dry next month, requiring resources to be diverted from other programs and leading to a further deterioration in conditions…. Nearly three-quarters of the funds, $3.3 billion, would be earmarked for humanitarian needs, with much of it flowing to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, the agency responsible for unaccompanied minors.” (Editorial, “Congress, Give Trump His Border Money,” The New York Times, 5/05/2019)

‘It Is Time For Congress To Stop Dithering And Pass Emergency Funding To Deal With This Nightmare’

THE NEW YORK TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD: “In short, it is time for Congress to stop dithering and pass emergency funding to deal with this nightmare. It has been more than a month since the administration sent Congress a request for $4.5 billion in additional border assistance. A large portion of the money, $3.3 billion, was earmarked for humanitarian aid — which most lawmakers agree is sorely needed. But a relatively modest piece of the request aimed at shoring up border security operations, roughly a quarter of the total, has tied negotiators in knots.” (Editorial, “When Will Congress Get Serious About the Suffering at the Border?,” The New York Times, 6/09/2019)

• “[L]ast week, officials said that the Office of Refugee Resettlement, the agency assigned to care for unaccompanied migrant children, would begin cutting services ‘not directly necessary for the protection of life and safety.’ … [T]he financial reality is that the agency is overwhelmed. So far this fiscal year, it has taken charge of nearly 41,000 unaccompanied children — a 57 percent increase over last year. The entire program could run out of funding by the end of June.” (Editorial, “When Will Congress Get Serious About the Suffering at the Border?,” The New York Times, 6/09/2019)

• “[T]here should be no ambivalence about the urgency of addressing the humanitarian needs. While lawmakers wring their hands and drag their feet, tens of thousands of migrant children are suffering. Congress needs to get serious about dealing with that suffering.” (Editorial, “When Will Congress Get Serious About the Suffering at the Border?,” The New York Times, 6/09/2019)

‘Democrats Balked At Allocating Billions Of Dollars More Toward Border Security’ In The Recent Disaster Relief Legislation

“Democrats balked at allocating billions of dollars more toward border security …” (“Senate Passes Long-Deferred Disaster Relief Package,” The New York Times, 5/23/2019)

• THE NEW YORK TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD: “The broader problem is that many Democrats … are loath to hand over one more penny for anything to do with immigration. Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus have been particularly adamant, insisting that their leadership take a hard line in negotiations.” (Editorial, “When Will Congress Get Serious About the Suffering at the Border?,” The New York Times, 6/09/2019)

SEN. McCONNELL: “There was no reason why the funds to alleviate the humanitarian crisis at the border should not have been included. And yet my friend the Democratic Leader came to the floor multiple times late last month to call the issue of border funding, quote, ‘extraneous.’” (Sen. McConnell, Remarks, 6/05/2019)

• SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): “Why do we have to load up the disaster bill with extraneous provisions, especially those that might bring conflict? We must be very careful not to allow this and other extraneous provisions to get on the bill that have opposition from Members…. The President sent over a proposal on the border, and we have sent back a counter proposal with many of the things--but not all--that he included. Some are objectionable. That is extraneous, but we might be able to come to an agreement on that.” (Sen. Schumer, Congressional Record, S.2953, 5/20/2019)