DHS, HHS Sends Congress Urgent Letter Requesting Emergency Supplemental Funding To Address Border Crisis

WASHINGTON– Last week, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Kevin K. McAleenan and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar wrote a joint letter to Congress urging the immediate passage of emergency supplemental funding, citing the current crisis at our southern border:

On May 1, the Administration requested $4.5 billion in emergency appropriations for DHS, HHS, the Department of Defense, and Department of Justice to address the immediate humanitarian crisis at our southern border.

With this crisis growing day to day and no emergency funding, DHS has been forced to surge resources and personnel from the interagency.

“It has been six weeks since the Administration requested emergency supplemental funding and Congress has yet to act. Since May 1, the day the Administration submitted this request, over 144,000 migrants have crossed our southern border illegally. While the Department is doing everything we can to maximize our resources and personnel in a Department-wide emergency response, the surge of families and unaccompanied children migration has created an unsustainable strain on DHS personnel working to protect our borders,” Acting Secretary McAleenan said.

“The Administration’s emergency supplemental request will support DHS efforts to address the immediate humanitarian crisis. Without this funding, DHS will not have the resources to properly care for the families and children in custody. We urge Congress to immediately approve the administration’s supplemental request,” he added.

The Administration’s supplemental will allow both DHS and HHS to address the humanitarian and security crisis currently facing our Southwest border.

This letter to Congress urges quick action in order to provide the appropriate resources to ensure the safety and welfare of our workforce and the migrant population.

View the joint letter to Congress here. View the Administration’s emergency supplemental request here.