In a statement released on Monday, House Republican leaders voiced strong opposition to the Senate’s border security bill, asserting that it would ultimately encourage more illegal immigration. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), and Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) collectively criticized the $118 billion bill, which was unveiled on Sunday.
The GOP leadership group’s statement emphasized their disapproval of the Senate immigration bill, highlighting its failure to address essential policy areas required to secure the border and its potential to incentivize further illegal immigration. They categorically declared the Senate bill “dead on arrival” in the House and urged the U.S. Senate to reject it.
Specifically, House Republicans identified several “flaws” within the bill, citing their concerns. They pointed out that the legislation expands work authorizations for illegal aliens while omitting crucial asylum reforms. Furthermore, they criticized the bill’s language permitting the release of illegal immigrants from physical custody, which they argued effectively endorses the Biden administration’s “catch and release” policy.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), a key negotiator of the bill, asserted that the legislation would enhance border security by requiring the Department of Homeland Security to temporarily close the southern border to most migrants if there are more than 5,000 crossing attempts on average per day over seven days.
However, House Republicans disputed this claim, characterizing the bill’s “shutdown” authority as lacking effectiveness and fraught with loopholes that grant excessive discretionary authority to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. They accused Mayorkas of exploiting every possible measure to keep the border open, even in defiance of the law. Additionally, the GOP leaders criticized the bill for failing to address the President’s parole authority abuse and for allocating taxpayer funds to fly and house illegal immigrants in hotels through the FEMA Shelter and Services Program.
Instead of supporting the Senate’s border security bill, the House Republican leaders called upon the Senate to pass the Secure the Border Act (HR 2), which the House had already passed in May. The Secure the Border Act includes provisions such as resuming border wall construction, tightening asylum standards, criminalizing visa overstays, increasing the number of Border Patrol Agents, and defunding non-governmental organizations that receive taxpayer dollars to assist in transporting illegal aliens throughout the U.S.
The Republican leaders emphasized the urgency of taking action to address the ongoing border crisis, citing the need to safeguard America’s sovereignty.
“America’s sovereignty is at stake,” they declared.
