EL PASO, Texas – Today, the Texas Border Coalition (TBC), representing the collective voice of communities along the Texas-Mexico border, congratulated President Biden on reaching a deal with Congress to fund the government in Fiscal Year 2024. Looking ahead to Fiscal Year 2025, TBC urges the administration to fulfill the commitments outlined in the proposed supplemental spending package last October, particularly concerning border communities.
Critical provisions were included in the proposed FY 2025 budget to support border communities and enhance international commerce, including additional resources for funding 1,000 Customs and Border Protection Officers, allocation of funds for an additional 1,300 border patrol agents, investment in border inspection equipment, and allocation of resources for immigration judges and asylum officers.
“While we recognize the significance of proposed funding and staffing initiatives for our communities, policy changes must accompany any increases in funding and staffing levels,” El Paso County Commissioner and TBC Chairman David Stout wrote in a letter to Biden. “Reforms to asylum policies with an emphasis on due process are essential to address the realities at the southern border. Simply increasing funding without addressing the shortcomings of the asylum process is inadequate for our border communities.”
Moreover, Stout said safeguards must be implemented to protect trade at the border in the event of surges in immigration. Legislation should include additional funding for staffing land ports of entry to ensure uninterrupted trade under varying circumstances.
Furthermore, TBC emphasizes the need for comprehensive immigration reforms, with a continued focus on secure, efficient, and humane border management, to maintain the border region’s safety and prosperity and ensure the strength of trade with Mexico.
“We appreciate the Administration’s commitment to the border communities and urge advocating for the supplemental spending request submitted to Congress last October, incorporating the above policy elements, to effectively serve our communities and our nation,” Stout added.
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About the Texas Border Coalition (TBC)
The Texas Border Coalition (TBC) is a collective voice of border mayors, county judges, and economic development commissions focused on issues that affect 2.8 million people along the Texas-Mexico border region and economically disadvantaged counties from El Paso to Brownsville. TBC is working closely with the state and federal government to educate, advocate, and secure funding for transportation, immigration and border security, workforce development, economic development, and health care. For more information, visit the coalition website at www.texasbordercoalition.org. Follow TBC on Facebook and Twitter [#TXBorderCoalition] to keep current on the latest news about the coalition and its activities.