President Obama Seeking Nearly $4 Billion to Address Immigration Crisis

President Obama is asking Congress for nearly $4 billion in funding to address the youth immigration crisis at America's borders, according to a statement from the White House on Tuesday.  

Thefunding is nearly two times the amount officials previously forecasted. It will be spent on border patrol agents, immigration judges, aerial surveillance, and new detention facilities to address the severe overcrowding issues in Texas. 

In addition to ramping up patrol, a good portion of the funds -- nearly half -- will be used to improve care for undocumented children as they move through the deportation process. 

"We are taking steps to protect due process but also to remove these migrants more efficiently," a White House official said Tuesday morning. "We are taking an aggressive approach on both sides of the border." 

Securing the funds from Congress may be an uphill battle, considering the current political climate. Much of the proposed immigration reform has been halted by conservative Republicans in recent weeks, and there are already rumblings of opposition over the request for funding.

Michael Steel, a spokesman for House Speaker John A. Boehner, said a "working group on the border crisis" would review the proposal. 

"The speaker still supports deploying the National Guard to provide humanitarian support in the affected areas - which this proposal does not address," said Steel. 

The President's request comes at a time of heightened tensions over immigration reform, both with the public and lawmakers alike. A number of protests around the nation over immigration issues have taken place in recent weeks, and some, like the Murrieta bus protests, have made national headlines.

A group of protesters in Murrieta, California, blocked buses in roadways last week. They were carrying undocumented immigrant children from Texas to facilities in California to alleviate overcrowding. The buses were forced to reroute to San Diego facilities.

Planes carrying undocumented immigrants bound for California have also been rerouted in recent weeks.

The announcement also comes on the heels of President Obama's trip to Texas on Tuesday, where he will be fundraising and attending events focused on the economy. The President is not scheduled to tour border facilities, which has drawn ire from critics.