House GOP unveils immigration bill to restart border wall, hire more agents

KARAH RUCKER: THE REPUBLICAN-LED HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE  UNVEILED A NEW PLAN TO TACKLE THE BORDER CRISIS. A 68 PAGE BILL OUTLINING A TOTAL REFORM ON HOW THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS CURRENTLY HANDLING IMMIGRATION PRESSURES AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER.

THE BILL WOULD REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO RE-START CONSTRUCTION OF THE WALL ALONG THE SOUTHERN BORDER – USING FUNDS THAT CONGRESS ALREADY HAS APPROPRIATED UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BUT WERE PLACED ON PAUSE UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN’S ORDERS.

THE BILL ALSO WOULD RAMP UP HIRING OF BORDER PATROL AGENTS – WITH THE GOAL OF ADDING THOUSANDS OF NEW HIRES.

THE AGENCY CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 19 THOUSAND AND THE NEW BILL HAS A GOAL OF 22 THOUSAND AGENTS.

THE BILL ALSO WOULD SCRAP THE MAIN PURPOSE BEHIND BIDEN’S CBP ONE APP FOR MIGRANTS – CALLING FOR NO MORE SCHEDULING OF COURT APPOINTMENTS THROUGH A MOBILE APP.

THE BILL ALSO AIMS TO MODERNIZE AND EXPAND SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY ALONG THE SOUTHERN BORDER.

THIS BILL IS PART OF HOUSE REPUBLICANS LARGER LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE TO ADDRESS IMMIGRATION – SEVERAL OTHER SIMILAR BILLS HAVE BEEN TAKEN UP – WITH REPUBLICANS ON THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE ADVANCING THE LATEST VERSION OF THEIR IMMIGRATION PACKAGE LAST WEEK.