The Department of Homeland Security has asked the Pentagon for more border support, including providing tents to handle a surge of migrants at the southern border, The Hill reported.
A Pentagon official confirmed the new DHS request Friday evening, saying it was for single-occupancy units.
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has not formally responded to the request, but it was discussed with Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan Saturday when they visited the U.S.-Mexico border, according to The Hill.
The latest request for DOD to bear additional border costs came as Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) tweeted Friday that every Democratic member of the Senate Appropriations Defense subcommittee and the Senate Appropriations MilCon-VA subcommittee signed a letter to Shanahan protesting DOD’s transfer of $1.5 billion for the administration’s border activities.
Earlier Friday Durbin sharply criticized DOD’s border funding support while military installations such as Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., badly need funds for disaster repairs.
Customs and Border Protection photo by Mani Albrecht
Post-Leadership, McConnell Plans to Push for More Defense Funding
When Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell steps down from his Senate leadership role after the November elections, he’ll have at least two more years in the Senate. Now he’s signaled one of his priorities as a rank-and-file Senator is to increase defense funding,...
