House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and other leaders briefed the House Republican caucus on a $659 million in supplemental spending bill that would reportedly amend the 2008 human trafficking law Obama deems responsible for preventing his deportation of surge aliens, but not cut off operating funds for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which most Republicans say largely sparked the surge. Boehner plans a House floor vote on the measure on Thursday before adjournment for the August recess.
$405 million in funding goes to the Department of Homeland Security, mostly for personnel costs. An undesignated amount may be ised to reimburse border states for the costs they incur in fighting illegal immigration and providing relief to surge aliens. Also $35 million is targeted for doubling the National Guard presence on the border and $22 million for hiring temporary immigration judges and related courtroom expenses. $197 million is included for the Department of Health and Human Services to house and care for surge aliens and $40 million for the governments of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to help with repatriation efforts, predicated on their helping to stem the flow of their citizens to the U.S. Most of the funds must be spent this fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30. The measure does not represent new spending since it is paid for with offsets in fiscal year 2014 spending.
President Obama claims that a 2008 human trafficking law has prevented his Administration from immediately deporting unaccompanied alien children (UACs) from non-contiguous, and has requested changes in the law. The House GOP leadership bill would make those changes even though the law is not applicable to the vast majority of UACs. Pro-enforcement Republicans warned Boehner that including this language could serve as a “Trojan Horse” for reviving the Senate’s comprehensive amnesty bill (S. 744).
Many pro-enforcement Republicans also warned Boehner they would oppose the bill unless it cut off funds for the DACA program. Sources told Roll Call that provision was not included because it was considered a “poison pill.”
Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., said that “close to 20″ of his colleagues expressed “reservations” about the GOP leaders' package at today’s caucus meeting. With 234 Republicans and 218 votes needed for passage, Boehner may not have enough votes to pass his measure if he loses 20 members. Some Democrats like Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, are expected to vote with Boehner but the vast majority will oppose it because it amends the 2008 law.
The Senate Democrats' supplemental spending bill, which the White House formally endorsed yesterday, dedicates $2.7 billion for dealing with the alien surge. The Senate and House measures are almost $2 billion apart in spending, which will make it difficult to broker a deal. For instance, the Senate bill gives the Department of Health and Human Services $1.2 billion to care for surge aliens while the House bill provides only $197 million. Also, the Senate bill does not amend the 2008 law, a must-pass item for Boehner. Both measures are far below Obama's initial $3.7 billion request.
