A congressional analysis says just $25 million of President Barack Obama's $3.7 billion request to deal with a wave of unaccompanied Central American children on the Southern border might be spent before the budget year ends Sept. 30.
The Congressional Budget Office analysis assumes Obama's request for handling the border crisis won't be enacted until mid- to late-September. Lawmakers are struggling to address the issue before leaving Washington for their annual August recess, but appear unlikely to succeed.
A split between Democrats and Republicans over changing a 2008 law that guarantees unaccompanied immigrants from countries such as Guatemala and El Salvador a hearing before an immigration judge is largely responsible for the impasse.
Republicans had already said they would cut back Obama's request sharply.
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