The No. 3 House Republican is calling on Republicans to be realistic about their expectations for border negotiations between the Senate and the White House.
“I think they should bring back HR 2, which would close down the southern border, and that should be a priority for Republicans and Democrats. But if they don’t bring it back completely. We just have to look at what they’re doing,” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
It remains unclear whether a bipartisan Senate group working on a border security deal with the White House will succeed.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said he supports HR2, the border bill that House Republicans passed last summer. Democrats slammed it as a “non-starter.”
The border deal could cost more than $14 billion, but Republican lawmakers are uneasy about the bill’s text.
House Majority Leader Tom Emmer is calling on Republicans to be realistic about their expectations for border negotiations between the Senate and the White House. (Getty Images)
Some hardline Republicans in the House and Senate have indicated they will oppose any provisions below H.R. 2, which include provisions such as keeping Mexico in place and building a new border wall.
However, Emmer cautioned his colleagues to view HR 2 as a starting point for negotiations, not the only option.
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“Our members understand that we control one-half of one-third of the government. We don’t have everything. So we can take what we want. It might be a little hopeful to get it all,” Emmer said. “But that’s a start. We’ll start with HR 2, show them what we got from it, and take it from there.”
President Biden’s administration is negotiating with the Senate on border security (Joe Radle/Getty Images)
Asked if she was optimistic that a compromise on border security could pass both the Republican-controlled House and Democratic-controlled Senate and be signed by the White House, Emmer said, “I’m always hopeful.” “I am doing so,” he said.
But he warned that certain details allegedly leaked would face opposition. For example, a reported proposal to give Border Patrol agents the power to expel migrants on sight if they encounter 5,000 migrants each day is facing fierce opposition from Republicans.
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“If this administration and the Senate think it makes sense for one illegal immigrant to come across our southern border, our people are not going to buy into it,” Emmer said. Ta. “If the rumors are true, it will be very difficult for them to pass the House.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson said House Republicans’ default position is HR2 (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
And while Emmer is glad the Biden administration is even discussing the border crisis, he accused President Biden of focusing on it only as an election-year issue.
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“The only reason they’re talking about this issue now is because it’s elevated to the point that it’s a political liability for their re-election,” Emmer said. “This is no longer Republicans or Democrats. This is Republicans and Democrats and others. One poll shows that more than 60% of people in this country say the border is a problem and needs to be solved. I believe that. That’s the only reason.” They’re talking about it. ”
