The Homeland Security bill includes $91.515 billion in total discretionary appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security, including $62.793 billion within the bill’s allocation, $5.837 billion in discretionary appropriations offset by fee collections, and $20.261 billion as an allocation adjustment for major disaster response and recovery activities. The total, within the allocation, is $2.090 billion above the Fiscal Year 2023 level. Fiscal Year 2024 Homeland Security Bill

• Secures our southwest border by:
  • Providing $2.104 billion for construction of physical wall along the southwest border;
  • Providing $496 million for 22,000 Border Patrol Agents, the highest level ever funded;
  • Restoring border security technology funding to the FY22 level of $276 million; and
  • Forcing Secretary Mayorkas to adhere to the law and build physical barriers immediately.
• Removes dangerous criminals by:
  • Providing $3.55 billion for custody operations, which is more than ever previously appropriated, to fund an average daily ICE detainee population of 41,500; and
  • Providing $655 million to fund transportation and removal operations for removable aliens.
• Counters China and bolsters national security by:
  • Providing $335 million to procure four additional Coast Guard Fast Response Cutters to counter China in the Indo-Pacific; and
  • Providing $150 million for the purchase of a polar icebreaker to project U.S. sovereignty in the Arctic.

 A summary of the bill is available here.During the markup, Committee Republicans rejected amendments offered by the Democrats that would have:

• Prevented border wall construction;
• Prevented coordination between federal, state, and local entities to remove dangerous criminals through 287(g);
• Allowed funding for hormone therapies or surgeries for gender-affirming care for migrants;
• Allowed tax-payer dollars to be used for abortions for migrants;
• Allowed funds to be used to label Americans’ constitutionally protected speech as “misinformation;”
• Funded unnecessary and polarizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives; and
• Allowed Secretary Mayorkas to seek outside counsel at the American taxpayers’ expense if being impeached.

 Adopted Amendments

• Joyce (Manager’s Amendment) – makes technical, bipartisan changes to the bill and report.
  • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• Joyce (En Bloc) –
  • Increases the total number of ICE detention beds to 41,500;
  • Increases investment in new 287(g) agreements;
  • Prohibits paroled or otherwise inadmissible aliens from being transferred into the interior of the country;
  • Ensures aliens on the non-detained docket are monitored with mandatory GPS technology through the end of their immigration proceedings;
  • Ensures the Biden Administration cannot resurrect prosecutorial discretion immigration policies;
  • Protects Americans against religious discrimination;
  • Provides no funds for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Citizenship and Integration Grant Program;
  • Withholds resources for the Office of the Secretary until the Department delivers immigration and entry-exit reports required by law;
  • Prevents alien student visas for unaccredited higher-education institutions;
  • Prohibits use of funds to admit Chilean nationals through the Visa Waiver Program until DHS is provided access to appropriate criminal databases for screening purposes; and
  • Prevents parole of Chinese nationals into the Northern Marianas Islands.
  • The amendment was adopted by a vote of 34 to 22.

 

Original source can be found here