National Security Leaders Encouraged by the Department of Homeland Security Funding Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Roberto Estrada 
restrada@monumentadvocacy.com

Washington — The Council on National Security and Immigration (CNSI) released a statement today regarding the recently passed Department of Homeland Security Funding bill.

“We are encouraged to see that after months of negotiations leaders in the House and Senate have been able to reach an agreement on fiscal year 2024 funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

“The appropriations compromise that provides increased funding for the DHS is a positive development toward a more appropriately resourced response to the significant increases in migrant arrivals along the southern border. The appropriation compromises also provide urgently needed funds for critical aspects of the asylum and detention case management systems. These systems are necessary to keep the border from deteriorating further and continuing to negatively affect DHS's ability to manage its other critical missions.

“We also appreciate the inclusion of 12,000 new visas for Afghans who were evacuated in 2021. However, Congress needs to redouble efforts to find additional compromises on the underlying asylum legal structures and to enact the Afghan Adjustment Act. This appropriations bill is a needed Band-Aid, but it is not nearly enough.

“We urge congressional leaders to continue working together to find commonsense solutions that address the current shortcomings at the border, modernize our immigration system, and most importantly, bolster our national security. To ensure that DHS can effectively plan and operate to the highest standard, we strongly encourage Congress to get back to its regular budget and appropriations process and pass FY25 DHS appropriations on time.”

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