U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul tours El Paso border, says he will try to double ICE budget
McCaul, R-Texas, said he would file a bill increasing the ICE budget to $5 billion. It currently is $2.4 billion.
As ranking member of the Homeland Security intelligence Subcommittee, McCaul also said he would try to get sheriff's departments along the Southwest border $600 million in funding.
Congress' appropriations cycle begins in June, and any money approved would be available by year's end.
"We literally arm and fund these dangerous cartels," McCaul said of guns and cash that flow illegally from the United States to drug lords Mexico. "We share this problem and we need to do what we can to help."
McCaul joined a long list of elected and appointed U.S. officials who have visited the U.S.-Mexico border in the past two months. All of the officials said the visits were needed because drug cartel violence in Mexico presents a threat to national security in the form of spillover violence.
While in El Paso last week, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano named a border czar and announced that most vehicles traveling to Mexico would be inspected.
El Paso County Sheriff Richard Wiles said any additional money sent to the federal agencies along the border would help his department. Wiles said it was too early to tell how any increases in funding for border sheriff's department would be
used.
But, he said, he knew of one job his deputies would not do.
"The community does not want us stopping people solely to determine what their immigration status is," Wiles said.
He said he was working with McCaul to make sure the bill does not force any sheriff's departments to enforce immigration laws.
Last year, critics accused the El Paso sheriff's office was of setting up immigration checkpoints. While he was campaigning for office last year, Wiles was repeatedly asked if his deputies would double as immigration officers. He always said they would not.
Ramon Bracamontes may be reached at rbracamontes@elpasotimes.com; 546-6142.
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Peter S. Lopez ~aka: Peta
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