Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson sharply criticized Republican efforts to defund President Obama’s new immigration plan, saying an agency that protects the country from terrorists “cannot become a political volleyball,” the Washington Post reports.
The criticism follows last week’s decision by House Republicans to approve DHS’ fiscal year 2015 budget, which removes funding for two of the president’s most controversial immigration policies.
The vote was 236-191.
“Recent world events — the terrorist attacks in Paris, Ottawa, Sydney, and elsewhere, along with the public calls by terrorist organizations for attacks on Western objectives — call for increased vigilance in homeland security,’’ Johnson said. “In these times, the budget of the Department of Homeland Security cannot become a political volleyball.’’
