President Joe Biden has pledged immediate action to “shut down” the U.S.-Mexico border should Congress greenlight a Senate proposal, emphasizing the urgency for lawmakers to adopt a bipartisan bill if they truly aim to tackle the border crisis.
Urgent Border Pledge
Biden, in a Friday night release, described the Senate’s ongoing negotiations as potentially resulting in “the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border we’ve ever had in our country.”
Vowing to ‘shut down the border’
Biden mentioned the proposal’s inclusion of new presidential powers to “shut down the border when it becomes overwhelmed.” He further stated, “And if given that authority, I would use it the day I sign the bill into law.”
Opposition Threatens Border Deal
His statement is an effort to rescue a bipartisan border deal that’s facing collapse, especially after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., privately acknowledged to GOP senators that former President Donald Trump’s − the 2024 Republican presidential frontrunner − opposition puts the party in a tough spot.
Biden’s Battle at the Southern Border
The collapse of this bipartisan deal would rob Biden of a significant achievement in managing the increasing migration challenges at the southern border, an issue Republicans have persistently criticized him for during his tenure.
Trump’s All-Caps Message
In a recent post on his social media platform Truth Social, former President Donald Trump reiterated his stance against a border deal, declaring in all-caps, “A BAD BORDER DEAL IS FAR WORSE THAN NO BORDER DEAL!”
A Call for ‘significant policy changes’
This comes after President Joe Biden, in a starkly candid remark last week, admitted to reporters that the border situation is insecure amidst unprecedented migration surges. Biden emphasized the need for “significant policy changes” in the asylum system and increased executive control over the border.
Record Migration Surges
U.S. border authorities reportedly processed an unprecedented 300,000 individuals at the Mexico border in December 2023. While official figures from the Department of Homeland Security are pending, estimates by Reuters and others indicate that out of these, 50,000 used official entry points.
Election Looms Amidst Surge
This surge in the first quarter of fiscal 2024 points to a record-setting trend, driven by migrants from diverse regions including Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, seeking entry into the U.S. either legally as asylum seekers or illegally.
This spike in border crossings is occurring as the U.S. heads into a presidential election year, with immigration poised to be a key issue.
Senate Discusses Border Plan
According to discussions in the Senate, the proposed package would empower the Department of Homeland Security to close the border when unauthorized migrant crossings exceed an average of 4,000 per day over a week, as reported by CNN and other media.
DHS Responsibilities in Border Closure
Furthermore, if migrant crossings average over 5,000 daily, the Department of Homeland Security would be obligated to seal the border to illegal crossings, except at official ports of entry.
The proposal would allow certain migrants, particularly those escaping torture or persecution in their home countries, to remain in the U.S.
Tougher Border Control
“Securing the border through these negotiations is a win for America,” Biden stated on Friday. “For everyone who is demanding tougher border control, this is the way to do it. If you’re serious about the border crisis, pass a bipartisan bill and I will sign it.”
House Speaker’s Opposition
Despite potential progress in the Senate, any border proposal faces likely opposition in the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson, frequently in communication with Trump about border issues, has already declared a Senate bipartisan border and immigration deal as “dead on arrival.”
A Push for Executive Action
Johnson, insisting on Saturday, argued that Biden has the executive power to address migration issues without Congressional intervention. He urges the Senate to consider the House’s stringent border and migrant policy bill, H.R. 2, passed last year, which he believes has the essential reforms needed to tackle the border crisis.
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