Bill Overview
Title: Border Patrol First Act
Description: This bill transfers $240 million previously made available to the Department of State for refugee and humanitarian assistance to the Department of Homeland Security. The transferred funds shall be available (1) for U.S. Customs and Border Protection activities, and (2) to reimburse the states of Texas and Arizona for activities related to border security.
Sponsors: Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]
Target Audience
Population: People who are refugees or reliant on U.S. humanitarian assistance
Estimated Size: 16700000
- The bill reallocates $240 million from refugee and worldwide humanitarian assistance to U.S. border protection efforts, primarily affecting refugees and vulnerable populations.
- The bill benefits areas in the U.S., specifically impacting Texas and Arizona, due to reimbursed border security activities.
- The focus on U.S. Customs and Border Protection supports activities that may directly affect immigrants and border crossers, as well as citizens concerned with national security.
- Worldwide, refugees and populations reliant on U.S. humanitarian aid will see a reduction in available funds and assistance.
Reasoning
- The policy reallocation impacts both domestic border security funding and international humanitarian aid.
- U.S. states most directly affected are Texas and Arizona, where financial reimbursement and border security activities would increase.
- Residents of these states may see increased financial support for border activities, possibly enhancing local border security or altering community dynamics.
- The reduction in humanitarian aid impacts those reliant on refugee support programs, potentially decreasing their Cantril wellbeing.
- The policy shift may also influence how the U.S. is perceived internationally in terms of humanitarian support commitments.
Simulated Interviews
Border Patrol Agent (Tucson, Arizona)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe this policy is necessary for our state's safety.
- The additional funds could help reduce illegal crossings.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
College Student (El Paso, Texas)
Age: 25 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I worry that this policy could lead to more aggressive border enforcement.
- The decrease in humanitarian aid is troubling for vulnerable communities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 5 |
Director of Refugee Support NGO (New York City, New York)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Cutting funds to humanitarian aid hurts the most vulnerable.
- Our organization's ability to help families is significantly reduced.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 3 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 3 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 5 |
State Government Official (Austin, Texas)
Age: 51 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This funding is essential for enhancing Texas's border security.
- We need more resources to manage the state border effectively.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Small Business Owner (Phoenix, Arizona)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increased border security might deter crime but impact our flow of customers from Mexico.
- I'm hopeful for better safety but worried about business losses.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 5 |
Refugee (Los Angeles, California)
Age: 30 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The cut in humanitarian aid could have severe consequences for my community.
- We rely on these funds to build our new lives in America.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 1 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 1 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 1 | 7 |
International Policy Analyst (Washington D.C.)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy places domestic priorities over global responsibilities.
- Long-term impacts could reduce U.S. credibility in international aid.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 5 |
Retired School Teacher (Brownsville, Texas)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this policy will make our community safer.
- I worry about the tension it might cause with immigrant communities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Farm Worker (Nogales, Arizona)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increased border security might make commuting more difficult for work.
- I’m concerned how this will affect my work and movement.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 4 |
Nurse (Houston, Texas)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Cutting funds from humanitarian aid will impact the health services we provide.
- Our clinic might lose critical funding as a result.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 3 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Reallocation of funds implies a shift in priorities without increasing the overall federal budget.
- Potential impacts on refugee support programs internationally due to the reduction in allocated funds.
- Localized economic changes in Texas and Arizona due to the increase in resources for border security activities.
- No net change in overall federal government expenditure for the duration.