WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) participated in a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing titled “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Department of Justice,” where she questioned U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on key issues including border security, immigration enforcement, asylum system backlogs, and efforts to combat antisemitism.
During the hearing, Senator Britt praised the Department of Justice under the Trump Administration for its actions on border enforcement, particularly regarding interior immigration efforts. She commended Bondi’s work and asked how the Fiscal Year 2026 budget would continue to support these priorities.
Attorney General Bondi responded by highlighting significant proposed funding levels, including $10 billion for drug enforcement and $3.2 billion to combat transnational organized crime. She pointed to the presence of criminal organizations such as the Sinaloa cartel and MS-13 as ongoing threats, referencing open border concerns and coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Bondi also voiced support for President Trump’s proposed legislative package, often referred to as the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which she said includes critical national security funding.
Senator Britt shifted her focus to the U.S. asylum system, expressing concern about fraud and the resulting case backlog. Bondi stated that as of May 2025, there were 3.8 million pending immigration cases—a decrease of over 235,000 in four months—and noted that $844 million had been requested in the DOJ budget to support immigration court operations under the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).
The discussion concluded with Senator Britt thanking Bondi for establishing the Joint Task Force on October 7th, aimed at addressing threats linked to antisemitism and groups like Hamas. Bondi spoke about the rise in antisemitic incidents, particularly on college campuses, and emphasized the department’s commitment to ensuring that individuals can safely and freely practice their religion in the U.S.
The hearing served as a platform to review the DOJ’s proposed budget while also addressing pressing national concerns around immigration enforcement, organized crime, and civil rights protections.
