Politics

House Passes $4.5 Billion Immigration Package

Photo credit should read PAUL RATJE/AFP/Getty Images

Henry Rodgers Chief National Correspondent
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The House passed a $4.5 billion immigration package Tuesday night to help solve the crisis at the border after releasing a number of changes to the bill reportedly to garner more support from far-left Democrats.

The vote was 230-195, after a meeting led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Monday night. Democrats reportedly came up with a list of changes, such as requiring Customs and Border Protection to create health standards for children and adults in custody, including nutrition and hygiene standards, The Hill reported. The Department of Homeland Security would also be required to provide translation services to migrants in shelters.

The new changes would also make it so that migrant children would spend less time at a shelter.  In the event that a migrant child cannot be moved to another shelter due to lack of available space, the Department of Health and Human Services would report the situation to Congress and wait to transfer the child until room becomes available.

This all comes amid apprehension concerning immigrants that has increased every month since January. There have also been over 100,000 encounters with illegal immigrants at the southern border in both March and April, setting the border crisis on track to be the worst it has been in a decade.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer speaks during a bill enrollment ceremony for legislation ending U.S. involvement in the war in Yemen on April 9, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Edelman/Getty Images)

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer’s deputy communications director Mariel Saez told TheDC that “Democrats are working hard to reach an agreement before the end of the June work period,” adding “If Republicans work with us in good faith to do so and an agreement is reached, Mr. Hoyer intends to put it on the Floor.”

However, Republicans are skeptical and suspect the agreement will not include President Donald Trump’s request for an extra $4.5 billion to address the mass influx of migrants at the southern border. (RELATED: House Democrats Add Changes To Border Bill In Hopes More Will Jump On Board)

The White House request includes $3.3 billion for humanitarian assistance, $1.1 billion for border operations, and another $377 million for the National Guard and Pentagon to be able to function on the border.