A “border surge” plan approved by the Senate on Wednesday to attract conservatives worried about border security has enraged liberal groups, with one even withdrawing its support for the bill.

The Senate is nearing a final vote on a sweeping immigration plan drafted by a bipartisan group of senators, known as the Gang of Eight. On Wednesday, the chamber adopted an amendment brokered by Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., to spend $30 billion to double the size of the Border Patrol to nearly 40,000 agents and add nearly $5 billion in new surveillance technology.

Several liberal groups indicated they may follow the lead of Presente.org. For now, they only say they strongly oppose the “border surge” plan.

MoveOn.org called the amendment “disappointing” because it “wastes billions of taxpayer dollars” while making the road to citizenship even more difficult for the nation’s unauthorized immigrants. 18 Million Rising, an advocacy group for Asian and Pacific Islanders in the USA, said the billions of dollars spent on the “militarization” of the border are better spent on infrastructure, education and social services.

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