Senators express concerns over DHS funding, US-Mexico border wall

A coalition of Democratic senators recently wrote a public letter to Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, concerning the diversion of funds from key agency priorities to pay for President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall.

The group includes Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Kamala Harris (D-CA).

The border wall was a key part of the president’s election campaign and plans to span the entire 1,989-mile U.S. border with Mexico.

The President’s recent executive order would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to “identify and, to the extent permitted by law, allocate all sources of federal funds for the planning, designing, and constructing of a physical wall along the southern border.”

DHS has five critical responsibilities including terrorism prevention, border security, immigration enforcement, cybersecurity, and disaster preparedness, all of which are appropriated funds by Congress. The senators’ letter specifically expresses concern that the President’s executive order appeared to require DHS to divert all necessary funding, even at the expense of other departmental priorities, to fund the wall’s construction.

“This could include cutting the number of Customs and Border Protection agents or Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials; cutting funds for communities facing disasters; cutting funds for protecting federal networks and fighting cyber crime; and cutting funds for enhancing security and guarding against terrorism,” the letter said.

The senators also included a questionnaire regarding the development and implementation of the executive order, asking it be responded to no later than Feb. 23.