Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called for urgent action Tuesday to address what he described as a growing humanitarian and security crisis at the U.S. border. Graham emphasized the need for additional funding to support President Donald Trump’s border security agenda, including efforts to locate missing migrant children, complete the border wall, and enhance military readiness.
Graham’s remarks came after a closed-door briefing with Tom Holman, a senior immigration official, and Russ Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Both officials warned that federal agencies are running out of funds to address critical border security and immigration enforcement needs.
“Tom Holman said, ‘I am begging you for money,’” Graham recounted. “Russ Vought said we’re running out of money for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). We can’t rob other accounts any longer.”
The senator highlighted the plight of approximately 300,000 missing migrant children, many of whom are believed to be victims of trafficking and abuse under the previous Biden administration.
“The sooner we can find them, the sooner we can end their abuse,” Graham said, his voice breaking with emotion. “They’re being abused while I speak.”
Graham outlined a comprehensive $175 billion funding package to address border security and immigration enforcement over the next four years. The proposed funds would support key priorities, including:
- Locating and rescuing missing migrant children.
- Completing construction of the border wall.
- Modernizing border infrastructure and technology.
- Deporting criminal aliens and addressing the backlog of immigration cases.
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“If you want your government to track down these 300,000 immigrant children that are missing, we need more money to do it,” Graham said. “If you want to finish the wall, we need more money to do it. If you believe that President Trump is right to track down and deport criminal aliens, we need more money to do it.”
In addition to border security, Graham stressed the need for 150 billion in additional military funding to address growing global threats.
“I’ve never seen more threats to a nation than I do right now,” he said. “We need 150 billion in additional military funding to address growing global threats. I’ve never seen more threats to a nation than I do right now,” he said. “We need 150 billion to help the military yesterday.”
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The senator also warned of increased terrorist activity along the northern border, noting that suspected terrorists are shifting their routes from the southern border to the less-monitored northern frontier. “I’ve never been more worried about a terrorist attack on our homeland than I am now,” Graham said.
Graham urged his colleagues in the House and Senate to act swiftly, emphasizing that the situation at the border is reaching a breaking point. “We’re not building a wall, folks—we’re hitting a wall,” he said. “They need the money, and they need it now.”
The senator expressed his preference for a single, comprehensive bill to address these issues but acknowledged the urgency of the situation. “I want one big, beautiful bill that does all the things we need to do to make us prosperous and safe,” Graham said. “But we’re living on borrowed time.”
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