WASHINGTON, June 21: Federal agents on the US-Mexican border would double to about 40,000 under a deal reached in the Democratic-led Senate to draw more Republicans to a landmark immigration bill headed toward anticipated passage.
Some questioned the costs and benefits of up to 50 billion dollar in the extra border security, which also will include high-tech surveillance equipment such as manned and unmanned aerial vehicles, radar and seismic devices.
But concerns were overshadowed by the deal’s main goal: win votes for an overhaul of US immigration law that will open a pathway to citizenship for up to 11 million undocumented immigrants.
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid was expected to set a test vote for as early as Monday in a bid to have the deal added to the White House-backed bill in the form of an amendment.
A senior Democratic aide predicted the amendment would get upward of 60 votes in the 100-member chamber, more than enough to clear any procedural roadblocks.
A vote on passage of the bill is expected before the Senate departs at the end of next week for its Fourth of July holiday recess.
Backers are aiming for at least 70 votes on passage to increase pressure on the more resistant Republican-led House of Representatives to give the bill final congressional approval.
Republican John McCain, a member of the “Gang of Eight” senators who wrote the bipartisan bill, voiced doubt about the high cost of additional border security.
“I don’t know if it’s totally well spent,” he said.
But McCain added, “I think it’s important that we do this to give people confidence that we have border security, so in that respect it’s well spent.”
A leading conservative voice embraced the deal.
Republican Senator Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American lawmaker from Florida and another member of the Gang of Eight, said the deal was a “dramatic improvement in border security” during an interview on Fox News.
Rubio, touted as a possible 2016 presidential candidate, had hinged his support on improvements in border security. His endorsement is seen as crucial to winning conservative backing for the biggest changes in U.S. Immigration law in a generation.
The proposal would double the overall number of U.S. border patrol agents, according to senior Senate Democratic aides.
That would mean assigning 21,000 new officers to the border with Mexico in an attempt to shut down illegal crossings by foreigners.
(AGENCIES)
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