Rep. Gabe Vasquez Leads Push for Smart Border Security Investments in FY26 Funding Requests

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) is leading a coordinated effort in Congress to secure smart, targeted investments in border security that protect communities, strengthen trade, and enhance national safety without compromising human dignity. Through a series of letterssubmitted to House appropriators, Vasquez and a group of lawmakers are calling for robust funding to improve staffing, upgrade inspection technology, and expand autonomous surveillance capabilities at the U.S. border.

"We need to make smart, targeted investments that stop fentanyl before it reaches our neighborhoods and ensure that our ports of entry have the staffing and technology to keep people safe," said Vasquez. "This funding supports the officers working on the frontlines and helps move goods and people efficiently through places like Santa Teresa. It's about saving lives, strengthening public safety, and building the infrastructure our border communities rely on every day."

In a letter to the House Appropriations Committee, Vasquez and colleagues urged robust FY26 funding for immigration judges and cutting-edge surveillance tools to relieve staffing shortages and reduce case backlogs. They emphasized the need to modernize the border with investments that directly support on-the-ground operations​.

Vasquez also led efforts in support of:

• $849 million for Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technology, such as X-ray and gamma-ray scanners to detect illicit cargo, especially fentanyl, at ports of entry, including Santa Teresa in New Mexico; and
  
• $239 million to hire at least 1,000 additional CBP officers to ensure adequate staffing to operate new technologies and process increased trade volume efficiently​.

Additionally, Vasquez joined a request for $60 million to expand Autonomous Surveillance Tower (AST) deployment, providing 24/7 monitoring between ports of entry across remote stretches of the border. These towers serve as a force multiplier for CBP, enhancing safety for officers and the communities they serve.

Vasquez continues to champion common-sense border investments that respect border communities, strengthen national security, and uphold American values.

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