To support these purposes, the order directs DHS  to, among other actions, produce a comprehensive study of the  security of the southern border; issue new policy guidance regarding  the appropriate and consistent use of detention of foreign nationals for  violations of immigration law; plan, design, and construct a wall or  other physical barriers along the southern border; and hire and on- board, as soon as practicable, 5,000 additional Border Patrol agents. Executive Order 13767 also directs DOJ to assign immigration judges  to immigration detention facilities in order to conduct removal and  other related proceedings. The order  also instituted visa entry restrictions for nationals from certain listed  countries for a 90-day period; directed agencies to develop a uniform  baseline for screening and vetting standards and procedures; and  suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for 120 days in order  to review refugee application and adjudication procedures. DHS, DOJ, and State Took Initial Planning and Programming Actions to Implement Provisions of the Executive Orders

DHS, DOJ, and State issued reports, developed or revised policies, and  took initial planning and programmatic actions in response to the  executive orders. For example, the memorandum directed U.S. The April 2017 memorandum contains guidance for federal  prosecutors on prioritizing certain immigration-related criminal offenses. Agency officials anticipate that implementation of the executive  orders will be a multi-year endeavor comprising present and future  reporting, planning, and other actions. DHS, DOJ, and State Used Existing Fiscal Year 2017 Resources to Support Initial Executive Order Actions; DHS also Received and Expended Supplemental Funds

Existing Fiscal Year 2017 Resources: Many of the initial actions  agencies and components took in response to the executive orders fit  within their existing fiscal year 2017 budget framework and aligned with  their established missions. As a result, it is not always possible to disaggregate  which fiscal year 2017 funds were used for implementation of the  executive orders versus other agency activities. For  example, according to DOJ officials, the Executive Office for Immigration  Review, which conducts immigration court proceedings, spent close to  $2.4 million in existing funds to surge approximately 40 immigration judge  positions to detention centers and the southwest border from March  through October 2017 in response to Executive Order 13768. All three agencies indicated that they used existing personnel to  implement the executive orders and, in some cases, a substantial amount  of time was spent preparing reports, planning to implement provisions,  and responding to changes or new developments in the executive orders. According to ICE information, ICE personnel charged approximately  14,000 regular hours (the equivalent of 1,750 8-hour days) and 2,400  overtime hours to this effort from January 2017 through January 2018. Fiscal Year 2017 Request for Supplemental Appropriations: In March  2017, the President submitted a budget amendment along with a request  for $3 billion in supplemental appropriations for DHS to implement the  executive orders and address border protection activities. In May 2017,  an additional appropriation of approximately $1.1 billion was provided in  response to this request, some of which DHS used to fund actions to  implement the orders. For example, CBP received $65.4 million for  hiring and, according to CBP officials, used these funds to plan and  prepare for the surge in Border Patrol agents directed by Executive Order  13767. As of January 2018, CBP had obligated $18.8 million and  expended $14.1 million of the $65.4 million it received. Agencies plan to continue to use their base budgets  as well as request additional funds as needed to carry out their mission. CBP requested $1.6 billion and in the Consolidated Appropriations  Act, 2018, received approximately $1.3 billion to build new and  replace existing sections of physical barriers along the southern  border. ICE requested $571 million to hire 2,000 immigration officers  (including 1,700 deportation officers and 300 criminal investigators)  and 1,312 support staff (including attorneys). Appendix I includes additional information on funds DHS, DOJ, and State  have obligated, expended, or shifted, to implement provisions of the  executive orders. Appendix I: Key Actions and Budgetary Costs Related to Implementing Executive Order 13767, 13768, and 13780 Provisions

	Purpose

This appendix contains summaries of initial actions that the Department  of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice (DOJ), and  Department of State (State) took to implement selected programmatic  provisions of the President’s executive orders on border security and  immigration. Specifically, we reviewed agency  documentation, such as a DHS inventory of tasks related to the executive  orders, and interviewed agency officials. DHS: U.S. Customs and Border  Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration  and Customs Enforcement (ICE),  U.S. On May 5, 2017, CBP received an additional appropriation of $65.4 million to improve hiring processes for  Border Patrol agents, CBP officers, and Air and Marine Operations personnel, and for officer relocation  enhancements.
Why GAO Did This Study

In January and March 2017, the President issued a series of executive orders related to border security and immigration. The orders direct federal agencies to take a broad range of actions with potential resource implications. For example, Executive Order 13767 instructs DHS to construct a wall or other physical barriers along the U.S. southern border and to hire an additional 5,000 U.S. Border Patrol agents. Executive Order 13768 instructs federal agencies, including DHS and DOJ, to ensure that U.S immigration law is enforced against all removable individuals and directs ICE to hire an additional 10,000 immigration officers. Executive Order 13780 directs agencies to develop a uniform baseline for screening and vetting standards and procedures; and established nationality-based entry restrictions with respect to visa travelers for a 90-day period, and refugees for 120 days.
GAO was asked to review agencies' implementation of the executive orders and related spending. This report addresses (1) actions DHS, DOJ, and State have taken, or plan to take, to implement provisions of the executive orders; and (2) resources to implement provisions of the executive orders, particularly funds DHS, DOJ, and State have obligated, expended, or shifted. GAO reviewed agency planning, tracking, and guidance documents related to the orders, as well as budget requests, appropriations acts, and internal budget information. GAO also interviewed agency officials regarding actions and budgetary costs associated with implementing the orders.

What GAO Found

The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS), Justice (DOJ), and State issued internal and public reports such as studies and progress updates, developed or revised policies, and took initial planning and programmatic actions to implement Executive Orders 13767, 13768, and 13780. For example:
DHS's U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) started the acquisition process for a Border Wall System Program and issued task orders to design and construct barrier prototypes. In November 2017, CBP awarded a contract worth up to $297 million to help with hiring 5,000 U.S. Border Patrol agents, 2,000 CBP officers, and 500 Air and Marine Operations agents.
DOJ issued memoranda providing guidance for federal prosecutors on prioritizing certain immigration-related criminal offenses. Additionally, from March through October 2017, DOJ detailed approximately 40 immigration judge positions to detention centers and to the southern border to conduct removal and other related proceedings, according to DOJ officials.
State participated in an interagency working group to develop uniform standards related to the adjudication of visa applications, interviews, and system security checks. State also implemented visa and refugee entry restrictions in accordance with the Supreme Court's June 26, 2017, ruling.
Agency officials anticipate that implementing the executive orders will be a multi-year endeavor comprising additional reporting, planning, and other actions.
DHS, DOJ, and State used existing fiscal year 2017 resources to support initial executive order actions that fit within their established mission areas. GAO found that it was not always possible to disaggregate which fiscal year 2017 funds were used for implementation of the orders versus other agency activities. All three agencies indicated that they used existing personnel to implement the orders and, in some cases, these efforts took substantial time. For example, according to ICE data, personnel spent about 14,000 regular hours (the equivalent of 1,750 8-hour days) and 2,400 overtime hours planning for the ICE hiring surge from January 2017 through January 2018.
In March 2017, the President submitted a budget amendment along with a request for $3 billion in supplemental appropriations for DHS to implement the orders. In May 2017, DHS received an appropriation of just over $1.1 billion, some of which DHS used to fund actions to implement the orders. For example, CBP received $65 million for hiring and, according to CBP officials, used these funds to plan and prepare for the surge in U.S. Border Patrol agents. As of January 2018, CBP had obligated $18.8 million of the $65 million.
Agencies plan to continue to use their base budgets and request additional funds as needed to carry out their missions and implement the orders. For example, for fiscal year 2018, CBP requested approximately $1.6 billion and received (in March 2018) approximately $1.3 billion to build new and replace existing sections of physical barriers along the southern border. For fiscal year 2019, ICE requested $571 million to hire 2,000 immigration officers and DOJ requested approximately $40 million to hire new immigration judges and supporting staff.