White House demands Democrats pass bill to fund humanitarian needs and security at border

The White House called on House Democrats Thursday to “stop delaying” funding to deal with the humanitarian crisis at the southern border, after Democrats insisted on cuts to ICE’s budget.

“The only ones delaying help for the children are the Democrats,” the White House said in a statement. “It is time for House Democrats to pass the Senate bill and stop delaying funding to deal with this very real humanitarian crisis.”

The Senate approved a bipartisan bill Wednesday to provide most of the administration’s request for money for the border, including about $3 billion to help care for unaccompanied migrant children.

But the House is balking at the Senate bill, with many Democrats seeking cuts for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

The White House said Democrats “falsely claimed all year that the situation at the border was a ’manufactured crisis’ and denied desperately needed humanitarian funding for months.”

“They have refused to work with Republicans to end incentives for the human trafficking that takes advantage of women and children, or to end the surge of cartels bringing in illegal drugs,” the White House said. “The administration sent its request for emergency funding 8 weeks ago, but there was no action. We have already negotiated a broadly supported bipartisan funding bill.”