House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said Tuesday that House Republicans “welcome” the dysfunction caused in the Senate over border security and additional aid legislation.
Prime Minister Johnson has made no secret of his opposition to the bipartisan deal, calling it “void on arrival” multiple times since it was announced Sunday night, including during the House Republican leadership’s regular weekly news conference. declared.
“Republicans cannot in good conscience vote for this bill, which is why I declared the bill dead on arrival. And now the bill appears to be in some kind of jeopardy, and the Senate “He may be on life support,” the chairman said. .
“We welcome that development because this is a problem that has to be addressed in a way that actually solves the problem.”
Sen. Tim Scott says ‘absolute no’ to Senate border, immigration deal
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana, left) has won a victory over Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s possible abandonment of the border agreement. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Republican opposition to the Senate’s bipartisan agreement began trickling down Sunday night but turned into an avalanche of criticism by late Monday.
Democrats have accused Republicans of backtracking on their demands for changes to border policy in exchange for aid to Ukraine. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Republicans’ opposition to the deal, especially in the Senate, was “a dramatic shift in Republican thinking.”
Immigration activists and Liberal Senate Democrats trash border deal over lack of amnesty for illegal immigrants
President Biden supported the border deal in the Senate. (Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
He also accused House Republicans of opposing the deal only because former President Trump also opposed it, a charge Johnson denied.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson appeared to attack those accusations on Tuesday, opening a press conference by mentioning specific points in the 370-page bill that he opposes.
5 key details of the controversial Senate border agreement
“Let me quote just a few of our myriad concerns about this bill in the way it was sent to us,” the Speaker said.
Aerial view of migrants, including children, walking beside razor wire after crossing the Rio Grande to seek humanitarian asylum at sunset in Eagle Pass, Texas, on February 4, 2024. (Lokman Vral Elibor/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“For example, on page 321, this bill expands work permits for illegal aliens, threatens the wages of American workers, and also acts as a new magnet for more illegal immigrants. This is a pull factor. All over the world. You don’t want to say to people, ‘Come on, cross the border, we’ll give you a job. And by the way, we put most of you on public assistance so that American taxpayers can spend billions to feed, clothe, and educate you. That’s not a useful message to send to the world. ”
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He continued, “Page 116 of the bill supports the Biden administration’s catch-and-release policy and provides for illegal aliens to be released from financial custody, cited, and de-cited. We’re supporting that by acknowledging…the shutdown powers in this bill, you know, you know.” “I’ve heard some things said about it, but it’s full of loopholes.” You may not have heard that part. It gives Secretary Mayorkas, of course, one of the chief architects of the catastrophe that we’re all dealing with.” , the power to undermine it. ”
Meanwhile, Schumer initiated a cloture vote on the package on Wednesday, with at least 25 senators, including three Democrats, vowing to vote against the motion.
