President Barack Obama called for an extra $500 million to augment the efforts of the Justice Department and law enforcement agencies to fight crime along the Southwest border.
An administration official told Politico that the funds would be used to increase “agents, investigators, and prosecutors, as part of a multi-layered effort to target illicit networks trafficking in people, drugs, illegal weapons, and money.”
The announcement came in conjunction with Obama’s decision Tuesday to order 1,200 more National Guard troops to the area along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is proposing $250 million to deploy 6,000 National Guard troops to the border.
McCain said on the Senate floor Tuesday that the White House’s proposal is “simply not enough.”
