The Senate’s draft border bill that promised to reduce migration chaos at the border actually invites a greater inflow by welcoming migrants who seek jobs or claim asylum.
“I’ve seen enough,” said a Sunday evening tweet from House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), adding:
This bill is even worse than we expected, and won’t come close to ending the border catastrophe the President has created. As the lead Democrat negotiator proclaimed: Under this legislation, “the border never closes.”
I’ve seen enough. This bill is even worse than we expected, and won’t come close to ending the border catastrophe the President has created. As the lead Democrat negotiator proclaimed: Under this legislation, “the border never closes.”
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) February 5, 2024
If this bill reaches the House, it will be…
The phrase “the border never closes” is a much-replayed quote from the top Democratic negotiator, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT).
In a series of Sunday evening tweets, Murphy gloated that Democrats’ promised curb on illegal migration — including a much-touted border “shutdown” process — are trumped by many pro-migration rules:
A quicker, fairer asylum process. No more 10 yr wait. Claims processed in a non-detained, non-adversarial way in 6 months. A slightly higher asylum screening standard at the border. Also, no more waiting for work permits. Most asylum seekers can work immediately.
A brand new right to legal representation for all immigrants. Remember when Trump denied lawyers to victims of the Muslim ban?
And…the first ever government paid-for lawyers for young unaccompanied minors. A long standing injustice righted.
A requirement the President to funnel asylum claims to the land ports of entry when more than 5,000 people cross a day. The border never closes, but claims must be processed at the ports. This allows for a more a more orderly, humane asylum processing system.
But…important checks on that power. It can only be used for a limited number of days per year. It sunsets in 3 years. Emergency cases that show up in between the ports still need to be accepted. The ports must process a minimum of 1400 claims a day.
5/ A requirement the President to funnel asylum claims to the land ports of entry when more than 5,000 people cross a day. The border never closes, but claims must be processed at the ports.
— Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) February 4, 2024
This allows for a more a more orderly, humane asylum processing system.
“Democrats proudly proclaim new border law ‘never closes’ the border and, of course, the entire $115 billion will be borrowed,” said a tweet from Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY). “Nothing, absolutely nothing, conservative about this deal.”
“’The border never closes’ -chief Democrat negotiator on the Senate bill,” tweeted Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO). “That’s all you need to know.”
“The border never closes” -chief Democrat negotiator on the Senate bill
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) February 5, 2024
That’s all you need to know
By Neil Munro