Washington, DC — U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, worked with the wider committee to approve its fiscal year 2023 funding bill.

The bill includes increased funding for U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Some of the funding will be used to hire additional law enforcement personnel, innovative technology, increase tuition assistance for law enforcement personnel, help with Carrizo cane control for border surveillance, video monitoring and port of entry technology. 

The legislation also includes two amendments secured by Congressman Cuellar: an amendment to clarify that all the agriculture industry can utilize the H-2A guest-worker program and an amendment that would give the Department of Homeland Security the authority to approve a limited number of additional H-2B visas during fiscal year 2023 if it determines that the needs of seasonal businesses cannot be met with American workers. Both amendments have been passed in previous years’ appropriations bills.

“Border communities have been on the front lines of the immigration influx for years. They are overstretched, underfunded and in need of assistance. While our law enforcement work day in and day out to secure our border, the officers require additional support from the federal government,”said Congressman Cuellar, the Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security. “This legislation provides much of that support—it supports the hiring of additional law enforcement personnel. It provides funding for these federal agencies to innovate and research new technologies. And it also funds an average of 25,000 migrants in detention to ensure they are treated with respect and dignity.”

“Defending our homeland requires the federal government to prepare and react to challenges that are constantly evolving. With this year’s appropriations bill, we are acknowledging that our law enforcement personnel deserve more support immediately, while preparing and planning for future needs. Thank you to Chairwoman Roybal-Allard for her commitment to border communities. We will keep fighting for more resources until our border is secured,” the Congressman concluded.

For fiscal year 2023, the bill provides total funding of $85.67 billion, including $60.3 billion within the subcommittee’s funding allocation, $19.95 billion for major disaster response and recovery, and $5.4 billion that is offset by fee collections. The total within the subcommittee allocation is $2.7 billion above fiscal year 2022. The legislation:

• Makes smart and effective investments in border security 
• Secures our critical infrastructure with dramatically increased funding to prevent cyber-attacks and root out cyber intrusions
• Invests strongly in maritime security through funding for the Coast Guard
• Supports a new pay system for TSA to ensure its personnel are paid salaries equivalent to other federal workers carrying out comparable work
• Respects the dignity of immigrants with funding to improve migrant processing 

Specifics on the funding for CBP and ICE are below:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

The bill recommends $15.74 billion, an increase of $893.8 million above the fiscal year 2022 enacted level and $338.1 million above the request, including the following increases above the Operations and Support (O&S) request:

• $329.4 million to sustain programs funded above the request in fiscal year 2022.
• $120.2 million for an additional 250 Customs Officers, 500 technicians, and 500 mission support staff;

Within the total amount provided for CBP O&S, the recommendation includes:

• $40 million for innovative technology. (Increase of $15 million over fiscal year 2022)
• $5 million for personnel tuition assistance.
• $6 million for Carrizo cane control.
• $10 million for video monitoring capabilities.
• $10 million for port of entry technology.

The legislation also includes a recommendation of $100,000,000 for border security technology, which shall only be available for autonomous surveillance, cross border tunnel threats, mobile surveillance, aerostats, geospatial capabilities, mesh networks, and search and rescue capabilities.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The bill provides $8.4 billion in discretionary appropriations for ICE, $138.1 million above the fiscal year 2022 enacted level and $296.4 million above the President’s budget request, including:

• $2.46 billion for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), an increase of $193.9 million above the fiscal year 2021 enacted level and $131.2 million above the request, including increases above the request of:
• $9.8 million for investigations associated with non-intrusive vehicle inspections at ports of entry.
• $12.8 million to combat cyber-crime.
• $24.1 million for HSI task forces.
• $2 million for the Center for Countering Human Trafficking.
• $3.92 billion for Enforcement and Removal Operations, $252.4 million below the 2022 enacted level and $121.2 million above the request.

The bill includes $35 million for the ICE body worn camera program. It also funds an average daily population of 25,000 single adults in detention, consistent with the budget request. It also includes $295,056,000 for the Criminal Alien Program, which is an increase of $6,258,000 from fiscal year 2022.

Operation Stonegarden (FEMA)

• $90 million for Operation Stonegarden

A summary of the bill is here. The text of the draft bill is here. In keeping with the Appropriations Committee’s commitment to transparency, information on Community Project Funding in the bill is here.

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