Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

U.S. SENATOR Jeff Bingaman

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Contact Senator Bingaman's Office:

Jude McCartin
Maria Najera
703 Hart Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5521

Bingaman: President's Budget Funds Many Border Needs

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today said he is pleased the Obama administration is focused on the border region, as evidenced by his 2010 budget for the area.

“Over the past few months, I have been working closely with the administration to ensure that the border region is a high priority for this White House,” Bingaman said. “I believe this budget proposal shows that President Obama understands the needs of the border region.”

The White House today unveiled details of the budget it first put forth in February. The plan includes $26.7 billion for Department of Justice programs, including $231 million set aside for the DOJ’s Southwest Border Initiative:

· $24 for DEA operations along the Southwest border (70 additional agents)

· $18 million for ATF Project Gunrunner (34 additional agents)

· $30 million for the Southwest Border Prosecutors Initiative

· $144 million the U.S. Marshals Service (528 additional agents)

· Resources necessary to address illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and firearms smuggling  

The budget also contains $55.1 billion for the Department of Homeland Security, including $96 million for Department of Homeland Security to combat the southbound smuggling of firearms and currency. That funding would be used for:

· funding for an additional 44 Border Patrol agents and 65 CBP agents

· $70 million for ICE to fill 349 positions to increase enforcement, improve cooperative efforts with Mexico, and enhance intelligence capabilities to address criminal activity in the border region

Bingaman said he is disappointed, however, that the proposed budget eliminates the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), which helps reimburse localities along the southwest border for costs associated with detaining certain criminal aliens. Bingaman has fought against such cuts in the past.