The White House on Friday argued that House Republicans are standing in the way of fixing what President Biden called a “broken” immigration system.
Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre would not comment on reports that Biden may take executive action on border security, saying House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) and the House Republican Conference on immigration He declined to comment other than to criticize policy inaction.
“For the past several months, we have worked with Republican senators and Senate Democrats to develop fair and tough legislation to address border security,” Jean-Pierre told reporters in the White House Daily News. ” he said. Briefing session. He pointed out that the bipartisan deal agreed last month had been approved by Border Force unions before Johnson declared it “void on arrival”.
“Chairman Johnson is standing in the way of this issue,” she later added. “We did our job. The Senate did its job in a bipartisan manner.
Biden administration weighs government action on border crisis, comes under fire from left and right
Presidential Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks with reporters during a press conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on February 23, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The Senate bill approved by Biden would increase staffing and resources at the border while limiting immigrants’ ability to apply for asylum and providing additional funding to communities and NGOs that host migrants. But conservatives say the bill doesn’t go far enough and would normalize high levels of illegal immigration.
Earlier Friday, Biden told members of the National Governors Association that Congress must pass bipartisan immigration reform.
“Congress has a long and proud history of bipartisanship on immigration reform and upholding the obligations of the international treaties we have signed related to immigration. These reforms will ensure that America is a nation of laws, a nation of immigrants, and a nation of “The world has become an economic nation,” the president said. “But something has changed. Over time, our laws and resources have outgrown our immigration system, making it dysfunctional. And our politics have failed to fix it.”
He called the failed Senate bill “the most just and humane reform in a while.”
7.2 million people will enter the US under Biden, more than the population of 36 states
President Joe Biden speaks with the National Governors Association on Friday, February 23, at an event in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP/Evan Vucci)
“I didn’t get everything I wanted in it. It also included the toughest set of reforms to secure the border in our history. The Border Patrol chief himself But he said, “We need more people. We need more staff.” ” He said.
“Our bipartisan bill ensured that the Border Patrol had the staff it needed. The Border Patrol provided funding and hired 1,500 more agents and staff and hired 100 more.” immigration inspector, An additional 4,300 asylum workers will be able to make asylum decisions in months instead of years,” he continued.
Sen. Bill Hagerty says Democrats are engaging in a “total power grab” by condoning “genocide” at the border
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) (center), House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) (left), House Intelligence Ranking Member Rep. Jim Himes (D-Connecticut) will speak after the press conference. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the U.S. Capitol on February 15, 2024, in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
He also blamed Mr Johnson for the bill’s failure.
“But then, as we all know, petty politics intervened. Again, despite significant support, the Speaker of the House refused to take the bill to a vote,” Biden said. “Talk to your Republican colleagues. We have the votes in that chamber to pass that bill. All of a sudden, people are going silent, but they’re in a tough situation. Tell that to Border Patrol.” Please, we said we can’t do it. Get this done. ”
With immigration reform stalled in Congress, multiple media outlets have reported that the White House is eyeing possible executive action to address the immigration crisis. Administration officials told Fox News that the president is considering executive action to limit the policy. Ability of immigrants to apply for asylumBut it is one of “several” plans being considered.
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Jean-Pierre told reporters on Friday that no final decisions had been made and declined to comment on the “individual policy options” being considered.
“What we want to make sure is what the president has been very clear about: He wants to make sure that our country is safer, and to protect our borders we clearly need increased border security.” And we want to do that while treating people fairly and humanely.” ”
Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report.
