President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is “looking over all aspects” of the border security deal dreamed up by a bipartisan congressional committee to avoid another partial government shutdown.
The deal in question reportedly contains $1.375 billion in funding for a physical border barrier, well short of Trump’s requested $5.7 billion, and institutes a cap of 40,000 detention beds maintained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The president told reporters earlier in the day that he is “not happy” with the deal, but sources close to the process told The Daily Caller that he is likely to sign it anyway.
In a series of Tuesday evening tweets, the president seemed to set the stage for signing the deal, asserting that he can get money for border security from “other sources.”
“Was just presented the concept and parameters of the Border Security Deal by hard-working Senator Richard Shelby. Looking over all aspects knowing that this will be hooked up with lots of money from other sources,” Trump wrote. “Will be getting almost $23 BILLION for Border Security. Regardless of Wall money, it is being built as we speak!”
Was just presented the concept and parameters of the Border Security Deal by hard working Senator Richard Shelby. Looking over all aspects knowing that this will be hooked up with lots of money from other sources….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 12, 2019
….Will be getting almost $23 BILLION for Border Security. Regardless of Wall money, it is being built as we speak!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 12, 2019
The president did not say specifically where he would be able to drum up $23 billion for border security, but Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney argued Sunday that “there are certain funds of money that [Trump] can get to without declaring a national emergency and other funds that he can only get to after declaring a national emergency.”
The president warned during the negotiation process that he would be open to declaring a national emergency and using unmarked Department of Defense (DOD) funds to build the wall if a deal wasn’t reached by the Feb. 15 deadline.
Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham seemed to push the president in that direction in an interview with The Daily Caller News Foundation on Tuesday.
“My whole construct was — open up the government and see if you can find a compromise in three weeks. If you don’t, declare an emergency. Do it on your own … That’s probably where we’re headed,” Graham asserted.
Republicans overall are split on the deal, with immigration hawks raising concerns that the limit on ICE detention beds would lead to illegal immigrants being caught and then released into the interior of the United States.
Via DailyCaller
