Illegal Immigration and Border Control: Progress Along the Border
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By Jon Kyl
Oct 20, 2008

The President recently signed legislation that provides substantial funding for border security initiatives. This good news means that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will be allocated the border and immigration resources it needs to continue efforts to stop illegal immigration. The fiscal year 2009 DHS appropriations bill, which included the border funding, was passed as part of H.R. 2638, commonly referred to as the fiscal year 2009 continuing resolution. The DHS bill includes $775 million to complete the construction of 670 miles of border fencing, and it also provides funding for 2,200 new Border Patrol agents.


Illegal Immigration and Border Control: Progress Along the Border

The DHS legislation would increase the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention beds by 1,400, for a total of 33,400. The increases in detention space have allowed the government to eliminate the counterproductive policy of “catch and release,â€