(CNN) – President Barack Obama will ask Congress on Monday for emergency funds, possibly more than $2 billion, as the United States grapples with a surge of undocumented children and adults crossing the border from Mexico.
A White House official told CNN the money will go to securing appropriate space for the detention of children but also stemming the tide of immigrants. The government hopes to increase its ability to investigate and dismantle smuggling organizations as well as quickly return children and adults to their home countries if they do not qualify for asylum.
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The federal government has struggled to process and accommodate the influx of illegal human traffic but specifically the spike in children. They don’t have enough beds, food or sanitary facilities.
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U.S. authorities estimate that between 60,000 to 80,000 children without parents will cross the border this year in what the White House is calling an “immediate humanitarian crisis.”
Earlier in June, the White House announced a plan to spend millions in a government-wide response by sending aide to governments in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to help with crime and violence prevention.
In mid-June, Vice President Joe Biden also spoke with leaders in the three countries as well as Mexico about working together to promote security.
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Biden’s objective was to emphasize that adults arriving with their children in the United States don’t meet the requirements for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which defers deportation for children brought to the United States before June 15, 2012.
Obama also spoke with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto about the issue and has warned families who see the dangerous trip as the best option for their children.
“Do not send your children to the borders. If they do make it, they’ll get sent back. More importantly, they may not make it,” Obama said to ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos.
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The White House will also ask Congress to ensure that the administration has the authority it deems necessary to effectively use these funds. That includes expanded authority for Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson in processing the return and removal of unaccompanied minor children and increased penalties for individuals who smuggle minors across the border.
CNN Senior White House Correspondent Jim Acosta contributed to this report.
GOP will say no, then blame Obama for not fixing the problem...
Get rid of the illegals.. Get rid of Obama.. Why should I pay to help house, feed, and educate these people when we have our problems to deal with first.. Want to get out of debt? If so, don't fund this..
Send them back south of our border! No more money!!!!
A cool $1 B for Syrian Rebels, (aka. Al Qaeda, ISIL etc), $2B for border security. ZERO $ for States in need of disaster relief and a nice hefty rise in oil profits for BP and the others with Obama in their pocket. Is he really working for the safety and security of the tax paying voting citizens of our beleaguered country, or selling us out at wholesale prices? .
Open those borders to one and all.
Vice President Joe Biden also spoke with leaders in the three countries as well as Mexico about working together to promote security. ............
Are you kidding........Mexico is way over populated with poor people with children....they've been using this United States as a DUMPING GROUND for years.....what ever they tell Biden is a lie...they don't want these people back!
Did anyone bother to read the article? The money requested is intended to open the borders or make it easier for people to enter illegally. The problem exists and has to be dealt with, no? No more money until our own people are dealt with? So you suggest just ignoring the whole issue while we focus on what? Do you understand what the result would be if we just turned a blind eye to our borders? Also, what do you mean by "dealing with our own people?" Expand welfare, socialize medicine, raise minimum wage, what?
No money for the border crisis, that the President created by letting illegal aliens know that the borders were open, until they produce all of the IRS emails that were conveniently "lost."
NOT, my comment meant to state NOT INTENDED...
I've seen my city of Fresno, CA basically turn into Mexico. Everyday there is someone murdered and we are on the top charts for every negative statistic. We are the meth capital of the world, top in std rates, lowest socio-economic statuses, and highest crime rates. Most jobs wont hire you unless you speak Spanish. Why should we have to speak the language that is not spoken in our home. There should be a requirement to speak English fluently in America if you want to come here legally. Otherwise hit the road Jack!
Just another instance of what illegal aliens cost the United States.
For decades we have been paying for education, healthcare, food stamps, etc. for the children of illegal aliens.
In recent years (Obama Years) we have turned out heads and let illegals take American jobs.
Now they will cost us Billions more. Mr. Obama says it is so we can house and feed them while awaiting deportation hearings (which will cost us billions more), but in fact, I have no doubt they very few if any will be deported for breaking our laws.
Ronald Reagan gave amnesty to 4 million illegals and that only made the problem worse. Amnesty does not work!
This is definitely a "humanitarian crisis", but it's a crisis for AMERICANS, not Mexicans !!!
Is not Rite how The goverment is using the tax payer money, 2 billón dollars n whhaattttttt???? Unfair .....
The man created this crisis by letting it go on as long as it has for all this time and for volunteering to take all the children of illegals into the nation. I think he should pay this bill himself.
How is this an 'emergency' when everyone with a brain saw it coming?
Everybody who is paying taxes in the US is a fool. We should leave this sinking ship ASAP.
Nope. No money left to give away, Obama.
Give it to him!! With the stipulation he uses it ONLY for a border patrol agent every 29 feet along the border equiped with munitions equal to or better than the ones Holder gave in his fast and furious deal.
Obama created this mess when he said if a child is here, that child can stay. If we have 2 B now...then we have it for border patrol who can take care of business!!
The USA is done. Stick a fork in it.
That is one indication of what amnesty programs can do. DREAM Act, and all the other defacto amnesties of this administration have encouraged a flood of illegal border crossings. As you sow so shall you reap, or something like that.
take care of our own children.... secure the borders !!!
Forget it. Take it from the EPA
Congress just say NO!
This can't be true. Obama said our border was secure. He even ridiculed the Republicans saying they must now want a moat with alligators in it along the border. So, Obama where you lying then or are you lying now?