President Joe Biden’s Call to Legislators for Border Crisis Management
On a recent Friday, President Joe Biden urged lawmakers to proceed with a contentious plan aimed at tackling the unprecedented surge in illegal border crossings, a problem that has become a hallmark of his administration. According to Biden, this plan is the “most stringent and equitable bunch of reforms to secure the border ever seen in our country”. All information here comes from the source of Reader Wall.
Controversial Proposal Overview
This proposal, which connects a $61.4 billion aid package for Ukraine to enhanced border security measures, faces fierce resistance from many Republicans in Congress. After months of discussions between the White House and a bipartisan group of senators, the proposal still seems unlikely to pass in the Senate.
Public Statement on Border Situation
Biden, now 81, recognized in a statement shared on social media that the border situation was critical. “The time to address it is long overdue,” he expressed. He also asserted that if enacted, the yet-to-be-publicized agreement would be the most effective and fair way to secure the border.
New Authority and Funding Requests
Biden continued, “If the bill turns into law, as President, I would gain new emergency authority to close the border when overwhelmed.” He pledged to utilize this authority the day he signs the bill into law. Beside this, Biden appealed to Congress to approve the funding he requested back in October to fortify the border.
This funding involves additional personnel, including 1,300 border patrol agents, 375 immigration judges, and 1,600 asylum officers, along with over 100 state-of-the-art inspection machines for detecting and halting fentanyl at the southwest border. To Biden, this legislation marks “a victory for America.”
Challenge to Advocates for Stricter Border Control
President Biden posed a challenge to those pushing for more stringent border control, inviting them to back the bill. “This is the way forward,” he declared. “If you truly care about the border crisis, pass a bipartisan bill and I will sign it.”
Response from Senate Republicans
Several Senate Republicans were quick to criticize Biden’s statement, with Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) challenging the transparency of the deal on social media. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) lambasted Biden for the border crisis, insisting that “Biden can close the border just as he opened it,” and urging him to “stop pretending this is anyone else’s fault.”
Additional Provisions of the Bill
As reported by Reader Wall, the legislation also includes other provisions, such as providing for migrants arriving by air to receive humanitarian parole at specific airports, restricted at the border and US points of entry, offering legal counsel to unaccompanied migrant children below 13 and migrants who are mentally incompetent, and increasing the quota of immigrant visas to 50,000 annually.
