Senator Shaheen Questions DHS Secretary on Northern Border Security and ICE Detainee Housing

Northern Border Security Concerns

• ⚠️ Senator Shaheen expressed concern over the lack of technology and reliable communication infrastructure along New Hampshire's northern border.
• 💡 Issues include non-functional video cameras due to lack of cell service and border patrol stations relying on power from Canada.
• 🚀 The Mobile Now Act aimed to speed up communication equipment deployment, but understaffing and red tape continue to cause delays.
• 💰 Concerns were raised that Stonegarden funds, previously dedicated to the northern border, have been redirected to the southern border, impacting local law enforcement.

ICE Detainee Housing at Federal Prisons

• 📌 ICE has an interagency agreement with the Bureau of Prisons to house detainees at FCI Berlin, a federal prison in New Hampshire.
• 📉 The Bureau of Prisons faces chronic staffing shortages, with FCI Berlin operating at just over 60% capacity for corrections officers while hosting over 230 detainees.
• 🤝 Senator Shaheen emphasized the need for adequate staffing and funding to support facilities contracted by ICE for detainee housing.
• ⚖️ The Secretary stated that contracts require facilities to meet ICE detention staffing standards, though some requests may seek relaxed federal standards.

Coast Guard Facility Funding

• 🚢 A $200 million appropriation for Coast Guard facility recapitalization was mentioned, including a damaged facility in Newcastle, New Hampshire, critical to the Portsmith Naval Shipyard.
• 📈 The Department of Homeland Security is proposing Force Design 2028, a new investment for the Coast Guard that includes infrastructure upgrades, increased personnel, and new equipment to address deficiencies and enhance interdiction efforts.