By Justin O'Brien
May 9, 2005

The House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee voted May 4 in favor of funding to the tune of almost $32 billion for the Department of Homeland Security for Fiscal Year 2006. Almost $20 billion will be dedicated to immigration enforcement and border security including increased numbers of Border Patrol agents, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Officers and beds for the temporary detention of illegal migrants.

According to an analysis of the bill, the FY05 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill, when combined with the FY06 Homeland Security Appropriations funding will provide an additional 1,500 border patrol agents to existing levels as well as almost 570 more ICE officers and 3870 detention beds. Significant investments and deployment of additional border security'related technology is also expected as a result of both spending measures including the deployment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and support of the Arizona Border Control Initiative as described in the last edition of US Mayor.

The Conference of Mayors has long had significant policy supporting increased and rapid technology deployment in support of counter-terror and border security operations. Similarly, the Conference has long supported increased border security agency manpower resources including the hiring and deployment of additional U.S. Customs and immigration inspectors and Border Patrol agents and their equitable distribution consistent with the commercial and human traffic flows and volume. For more information on the Conference of Mayors border and related policies, visit the Cities and Borders Task Force webpages at www.usmayors.org/borders.