Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is leading the charge against a border bill that was presented in the Democrat-controlled Senate on Monday. The $118 billion package has been met with strong opposition from both sides of the aisle, with House Republicans warning that the bill is designed to benefit President Joe Biden in a potential 2020 rematch against former President Donald Trump. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has also voiced his concern, stating that the bill would essentially “legalize illegal immigration.”
Republican senators have already made it clear that they will vote against the bill, prompting McConnell to urge his fellow Republicans to block the bill. According to reports, McConnell has recommended that Republicans vote against the bill during a closed-door meeting, stating that the political mood in the country has changed and the bill would not be in the best interest of the American people.
According to Andrew Desiderio, a reporter for X, McConnell has advised his colleagues to vote “NO” on a motion to proceed, saying that the problem is not with the negotiations by Senator James Lankford (R-OK), but rather with the bill itself. In his statement, McConnell points out that while Senator Lankford did his best, the bill still has major flaws and is not aligned with the current political sentiment in the country.
Top House Republicans have also expressed their disapproval of the bill, stating that it would not survive in the lower chamber. In a joint statement, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), and Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) said that the bill fails to address key issues related to securing the border and would actually encourage more illegal immigration. The statement also criticized the bill’s language allowing illegal immigrants to be “released from physical custody,” which would essentially support the Biden administration’s “catch and release” policy.
The House Republicans also took issue with the bill’s “shutdown” authority, stating that it has far too many loopholes and gives Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas too much discretionary power. According to the statement, Mayorkas has shown a clear disregard for the law and has implemented policies that keep the border open. The statement also criticized the bill for failing to address the abuse of parole authority and for allowing taxpayer funds to be used to fly and house illegal immigrants in hotels through the FEMA Shelter and Services Program.
The joint statement from House Republicans concluded by saying that America’s sovereignty is at stake and that the bill is essentially “dead on arrival” in the House. The Republicans urged the Senate to reject the bill in its current form, stating that any consideration of the bill would be a waste of time. They also called on the Senate to focus on a more comprehensive and effective solution to address the current immigration crisis.
The proposed border bill has sparked strong reactions from both sides of the political divide, with Republicans fiercely opposing it and Democrats pushing for its passage. Republican senators have stated that they will not support a bill that does not address critical issues such as border security and asylum reforms. On the other hand, Democrats are defending the bill, stating that it provides much-needed relief for immigrants and asylum seekers who have been impacted by the previous administration’s policies.
The fate of the border bill remains uncertain, with Republicans standing firm in their decision to vote against it. The call by McConnell to block the bill has only further exacerbated the divide between the two parties, with no clear solution in sight. As the debate continues, the plight of thousands of immigrants and asylum seekers caught in the middle of this political drama remains uncertain.