The National Center for Immigrant Justice has criticized Congress’ failure to curb Trump-era bloated spending on anti-immigration policy. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images.
The spending plan for fiscal year 2022, agreed on Wednesday by Democrats and Republicans in the US House of Representatives, “continues the Trump-era approach” on immigration.on the same day denounced the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC, in English), a non-profit agency that provides legal services in the field.
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Democrats and Republicans reached agreement on a $1.5 trillion spending bill to fund the government for the remainder of the 2022 fiscal year.
The plan, which must be voted on before March 15, contains funds for immigration and operation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that are close to values set during Trump. Administration (2017-2021), the National Center for Justice confirmed in a statement.
“Congress’ failure to rein in Trump-era bloated spending on agencies with a well-documented history of harming immigrant communities will lead to more deaths, family separation, and unnecessary pain for communities of immigrants and asylum seekers.”said Mary Meg McCarthy, director of the National Institute of New Journalists.
According to McCarthy, the plan increases ICE’s funding to accommodate 34,000 people. The money represents an increase of more than 5,000 beds over proposals made in 2021 in both the House and Senate.
“These levels of funding are in direct conflict with the commitments made by the Biden administration and members of Congress to reduce the immigration detention system.”
He also criticized that the budget plan does not invest in support services for immigrant communities.
“Congress has refused to even provide a $1 for a Department of Justice pilot program to provide legal representation to people facing arrest and deportation in immigration proceedings,” he said, and demanded that the legislature change the budget’s “track” in this area.
Florida lawmakers have approved a law that tightens immigration policy
The Florida House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a bill that tightens immigration policies in that state and awaits signature by Governor Ron DeSantis, who promoted the controversial measure and has drawn criticism from business and the Catholic Church.
The measure, approved by the Senate last week, will prevent carriers, including airlines, from doing business with the state if they receive payments from the federal government to transport illegal immigrants to this area.
The House of Representatives voted 77 to 44 against the bill that DeSantis announced last December after criticizing President Joe Biden’s immigration policies, which will include moving illegal immigrants to Florida.
DeSantis has shown himself to be one of the most conservative conservatives on Biden’s policies, especially on immigration and measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Some of them went to court with a lawsuit brought by the Florida authorities.
The Florida governor has been following the style and trajectory of what he considers his mentor, former President Donald Trump, and appears to be a potential candidate for the Republican Party’s nomination for the White House in the upcoming presidential election.
This bill would also expand the definition of a “safe harbor policy” to avoid restricting or preventing local police from providing immigration information to federal authorities, which have exclusive jurisdiction over the matter.
(With information from EFE)
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