Mr. Chairman. I rise today as a Member who represents a border community who has always been concerned about our national security and our border security. Today. still. our border security is driven by money not policy. and certainly not in the best interest of our security. This amendment gives DHS the necessary funds. $2.05 billion. to fund the 35.000 beds they have stated they need to eliminate the budgetdriven catchandrelease policy. What has appalled so many of us is that DHS Is catching and releasing thousands of illegal immigrants into the general population of the United States because they simply do not have the detention space to hold them. These illegal immigrants. also referred to as OTMs. or other than Mexicans. are given what they refer to as "walking papers" and are released on their own recognizance with an order to appear voluntarily at a deportation hearing weeks after their release. In fact. Mr.
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illegal immigrants deportation border security