House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) spoke Wednesday after a White House meeting on border security, saying he is at odds with President Biden and that no one will “force” him to submit to weak border reform. he told FOX News.
Johnson said on “The Ingraham Angle” that Democrats appear unwilling to actually secure the southern border, and that he is prepared to be persuaded to go along with the wishes of the administration and Congressional Democrats. He was asked whether he had appeared at the White House.
“No one is being forceful with me. I said to the president, I looked across the table from the Cabinet room and said, 'Mr. President, you have this big moment right now. You have the authority to end the disaster. It's your actions.' That's what created it,” Johnson responded.
He added that he told Biden that he had documented 64 actions at the White House and agency level that led to the border crisis.
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He added that technically no new laws are needed because Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas can simply implement laws already planned to address the border crisis.
“I quoted [Biden] “I called him last Thursday and told him what legal powers he could take,” he said.
Johnson went on to detail that he told Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who was also present at the meeting, that he was ready to do “big things” at the border. .
“Well then, hallelujah, Mr. President. president biden, do your job. Fix the disaster you caused,” Johnson told The Angle.
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Moderator Laura Ingraham also asked about a bipartisan bill sponsored by Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), which she characterized as an unwise option and would not provide much for immigrants. He cited provisions in a leaked version of the bill that would increase the amount of green cards awarded. According to the New York Post, individuals will only be expelled if more than 5,000 people cross within a week.
But Lankford denounced the leak and its characterization of the clause as a lie, tweeting a quote from a Baptist pastor: “While the truth continues to strive, lies will spread around the world.”
Johnson said observers must reserve judgment on the bill until official documents are posted.
“I hope they do.” [in the Senate] Come up with something meaningful. But what I've said from the beginning is we have to have HR 2, or a functional equivalent,” he said in a statement drafted by Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida. he said, referring to the Border Security Act. He passed the House and sits, proverbially, on Schumer's desk.
”[H.R. 2] has very important provisions. We will reform our asylum and broken parole processes. We will restore the Trump-era Remain in Mexico policy, which is essential. That will end catch-and-release,” Johnson said.
“We need to rebuild the wall. There are other factors, some of which are essential to stem the tide.”
After the meeting at the White House, Schumer also spoke to reporters about the extension. The New York Democrat stressed that both Ukraine and the U.S. southern border must be addressed, but “those who say we have to do one or the other first mean we won't accomplish anything.”
