President Joe Biden's is asking Congress to approve $1 billion to improve border security infrastructure but it does not include additional funding for more border wall, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) said on Friday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th April, 2021) President Joe Biden's is asking Congress to approve $1 billion to improve border security infrastructure but it does not include additional funding for more border wall, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) said on Friday.
"The discretionary request provides over $1 billion for border infrastructure, which includes modernization of land ports of entry and investments in modern border security technology and assets," the OMB said in a press release.
The Biden administration seeks to better defend against illegal immigration and drug trafficking, the release said. However, the release notes that there is no funding for new border wall construction on the US southern border with Mexico.
On Thursday, US Custom and Border Protection data revealed that US border apprehensions soared by more than 70 percent in March. The 172,331 migrant encounters recorded represents the highest monthly total in more than two decades, with the Biden administration on pace to top the previous annual record set in 2019 of over 977,000 apprehensions.
There are several areas along the US-Mexico border that have wide gaps of no border fencing to deter migrants from illegally crossing into the United States.
