Long Island lawmaker urges hiring 10,000 border agents, 10,000 flight hours and $110 million for Operation Stone Garden

A representative who identified herself as representing Long Island told the Homeland Security Subcommittee during Member Day that her district remains burdened by immigration‑related costs and urged substantial funding increases for border security programs. She called for hiring an additional 10,000 Border Patrol agents and for Customs and Border Protection air and marine operations to achieve 10,000 annual flight hours in fiscal year 2026, including 24‑hour drone operations along the southern border.

"That is why I urge the committee to provide the funding necessary to ensure that CBP air and marine operations can achieve a 10,000 annual flight hours in FY26 and operate drones along the border 24 hours a day, 7 days a week," the member said.

She also asked the committee to appropriate $110,000,000 for Operation Stone Garden, a Department of Homeland Security grant program that provides funding to state and local law enforcement for border security cooperation. "This program was funded at $90,000,000 in FY23 and FY22, but was reduced by $9,000,000 in FY24. I respectfully request that $110,000,000 in funding for Operation Stone Garden is appropriated in FY26," she said.

The member described local impacts from large influxes of migrants on schools, law enforcement and local governments, and urged reimbursement resources to help counties such as Nassau. "Without additional funding, we're just asking our local law enforcement to do more with less," she said, asking the committee to provide dedicated reimbursement resources.

The chair and ranking member thanked the member for testimony and said committee staff would keep members apprised of the subcommittee’s appropriations work; Chair also said staff (identified in the hearing) would be in direct contact for follow‑up. No formal vote or appropriation decisions were made during the Member Day hearing.

The member framed the proposal as bipartisan and tied it to broader goals of restoring operational control at the border and addressing criminal smuggling, including fentanyl interdiction. The testimony included both operational metrics (agent hires, flight hours, drone operations) and specific funding requests for a grant program that supports state and local law enforcement.