Selective border security, LGBT ideology: 5 things to know about the omnibus bill
1. It contains funding for the border security of other countries while explicitly prohibiting the U.S. from taking steps to secure its southern border with Mexico
The bill authorizes $410 billion to “reimburse Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, and Oman” for the costs associated with ensuring “enhanced border security.” Meanwhile, the bill grants $1,563,143,000 to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
However, the bill explicitly states that “none of the funds provided” to U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall be used “to hire permanent Federal employees” or “to acquire, maintain, or extend border security technology and capabilities, except for technology and capabilities to improve Border Patrol processing.”
In other words, the funds granted to the agency tasked with securing the border cannot be used to secure the border, even after the Democratic Mayor of El Paso, Texas, declared a state of emergency due to the overwhelming number of people who've illegally entered the border city due to the lack of border security.
Additionally, the omnibus bill forbids the use of the more than $1.5 billion appropriation to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for “any flight hours other than those flown by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations, except for technology and capabilities to improve Border Patrol processing.” This means that CBP officials cannot fly illegal immigrants out of the country, only having the authority to transport them within the country.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: [email protected]