Joe Biden claims border proposal will give him new emergency authority: ‘Toughest and hardest reform’
Joe Biden calls for emergency authority to shut down overwhelmed border amid US-Texas government standoff.
On Friday, President Joe Biden made a strong appeal to lawmakers to advance a controversial plan to deal with the unprecedented surge of illegal border crossings amid the US-Texas govt. standoff under his administration. He said it was the “toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border we’ve ever had in our country.”
The proposal, which links $61.4 billion in aid to Ukraine with enhanced border security measures, faces strong opposition from several congressional Republicans and has little chance of passing the Senate – even after months of talks between the White House and a bipartisan group of senators.
Biden, 81, admitted in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the border situation was dire. “It’s long past time to fix it,” he said.
He claimed that the agreement, which has not been made public yet, would be the most effective and equitable way to secure the border if it became law.
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“It would give me, as President, a new emergency authority to shut down the border when it becomes overwhelmed. And if given that authority, I would use it the day I sign the bill into law,” he said.
He also urged Congress to approve the funding he asked for in October to bolster the border.
“This includes an additional 1,300 border patrol agents, 375 immigration judges, 1,600 asylum officers, and over 100 cutting-edge inspection machines to help detect and stop fentanyl at our southwest border.” He called the legislation “a win for America.”
He challenged those who wanted stricter border control to support the bill. “This is the way to do it,” he said. “If you’re serious about the border crisis, pass a bipartisan bill and I will sign it.”
Some Senate Republicans quickly criticized Biden’s statement.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) questioned the transparency of the deal on X. “‘Democracy dies in darkness,’” he wrote.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) blamed Biden for the border crisis on Twitter.
“He opened the border. He can close it,” he tweeted. “Or Biden could stop pretending this is anyone’s fault but his own and ENFORCE THE LAW.”
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The New York Post reported that the bill also has other provisions, such as allowing migrants who arrive by air to get humanitarian parole at certain airports, but limiting it at the border and US ports of entry; providing legal counsel to unaccompanied migrant children under 13 and migrants who are mentally incompetent; and raising the number of immigrant visas to 50,000 per year.
