Immigration once again sparked a public confrontation between House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer ahead of the vote on a bipartisan border bill in the Senate Thursday. A previous version of the proposal was already rejected in February.
President Biden himself personally called the leaders of both chambers to ask for their support, although Johnson has already announced that, if it passes the Senate, the rule would be "dead on arrival" in the House. The Democratic-leaning Congressional Hispanic Caucus rejected the initiative, which it described as "repressive" and demanded the regularization of the millions of illegal immigrants who have been in the country for years.
The Senate will vote on the bipartisan Border Bill on Thursday.
The President called both Leader McConnell and Speaker Johnson and urged them to go forward with this bill.
All those who say we need to act on the border will get a chance to show they’re serious.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) May 21, 2024
Schumer accuses the GOP of 'exploiting the border for Trump's political gain'
Schumer made a post on X accusing Trump and the Republicans of blocking "the strongest, most comprehensive border security bill in a generation." According to the Democratic Senate majority leader, this is due to partisan interests ahead of the November election, because "they still don't have any plan except exploiting the border for Trump's political gain."
It’s been 104 days since Donald Trump and the Republicans blocked the strongest, most comprehensive border security bill in a generation.
And they still don’t have any plan except exploiting the border for Trump’s political gain.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) May 21, 2024
Republican counterattack
The post was quickly and forcefully responded to by Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee, who accused Senate Democrats blocking "the strongest border security bill in history" over a year ago, which was approved by the House and would have been effective in stopping the invasion that the southern border has suffered since Biden's arrival to the White House.
It's been 375 days since @HouseGOP PASSED the strongest border security bill in history.
Sadly, Senate Dems have chosen to ignore this legislation, and instead focus on a bill that they cannot even pass themselves.
The American people deserve better, Leader Schumer. https://t.co/qskXiD7X8o
— House Homeland GOP (@HomelandGOP) May 20, 2024
Johnson criticizes Biden's open borders policy
Johnson himself replied to Schumer saying that the border problem stems from the Democrats, especially Biden's policies, which leave the border completely wide open for millions of illegal immigrants, just the opposite of what happened during Trump's term. "Everyone knows it - especially the illegals trying to get in," said the speaker.
Johnson published a statement together with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, in which he warned that, even if the vote managed to go ahead in the Senate (it already failed in February with votes against from Democratic senators), it would never pass Congress.
For more than three years now, Congressional Democrats have stood by while the Biden Administration has opened our borders to criminal drug cartels, terrorists, and untold millions of illegal immigrants. Now, Leader Schumer is trying give his vulnerable members cover by bringing a vote on a bill which has already failed once in the Senate because it would actually codify many of the disastrous Biden open border policies that created this crisis in the first place. Should it reach the House, the bill would be dead on arrival.
Under President Trump, our border was strong and secure.
Now, under President Biden, the border is wide open and millions of illegals are flooding in.
Everyone knows it - especially the illegals trying to get in.https://t.co/D4QmEijy2I
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) May 21, 2024
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus rejects the proposal as restrictive
In case there was any chance that the bill would reach the president's desk for his signature, the 42 members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus issued a very critical statement rejecting the initiative:
The Senate border bill once again fails to meet the moment by putting forth enforcement-only policies and failing to include provisions that will keep families together. As written, the bill excludes critical protections and legal pathways for families, farm workers and America’s Dreamers who have been in the U.S. contributing to our Nation's communities and economy for decades.
Furthermore, the president of the caucus, Nannette Barragan, noted that "any bipartisan solution must ... include the bipartisan Dream and Promise Act for our dreamers and the the Farm Workforce Modernization Act," which would mean granting green cards, and even U.S. citizenship, to millions of illegal foreigners who are already in the country.
CHC Leadership Statement on Senate Efforts to Pass Border Bill ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/7z5w1PmON4
— Congressional Hispanic Caucus (@HispanicCaucus) May 21, 2024
