Over 200 NGOs, Advocacy Groups Urge Congress To Stop Funding US Harmful Border Policies

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th November, 2018) US Congress must not approve an increase to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) budget which expires next month because it would facilitate migrant family separations, mass detentions and other harmful border policies, more than 200 non-governmental and advocacy groups said in a letter to congressional leaders on Wednesday.

"Any increase in funding will facilitate family separations, cause irreparable harm to the border region, and incentivize mass detention and deportation - policies that tear apart the fabric of our families and communities," the letter said. "We cannot treat funding for immigration detention and enforcement or border wall construction like business as usual."

The letter calls for a short-term resolution that does not increase the budget which expires on December 7 during the so-called "lame duck" session - the period before newly elected officials take office in January.

In addition, the groups said they would like to see Congress commit to cutting enforcement funds in a permanent spending bill next year.

$2 billion in US government funding, according to the letter, is allocated for border militarization and more than $4 billion is allocated for immigration detention and enforcement.

US President Donald Trump has come under fire for strict immigration policies that have separated thousands of migrant families and detained children at the border. The president recently deployed thousands of US troops to the southern border to counter a migrant caravan that was headed towards the United States seeking asylum.