House Republican leaders released a statement Monday saying the Senate's border security bill actually would "incentivize more illegal immigration."
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., and Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., blasted the $118 billion bill that was unveiled Sunday.
"House Republicans oppose the Senate immigration bill because it fails in every policy area needed to secure our border and would actually incentivize more illegal immigration," the GOP leadership group said in its statement.
"Any consideration of this Senate bill in its current form is a waste of time. It is DEAD on arrival in the House. We encourage the U.S. Senate to reject it."
The GOP leaders cited specific "flaws" in the bill.
"Among its many flaws, the bill expands work authorizations for illegal aliens while failing to include critical asylum reforms. Even worse, its language allowing illegals to be 'released from physical custody' would effectively endorse the Biden 'catch and release' policy," the group said.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., one of the bill's key negotiators, told reporters the legislation would secure the U.S. southern border, including by requiring the Department of Homeland Security to temporarily "shut down" the frontier to most migrants if there are an average of more than 5,000 crossing attempts per day over seven days.
The House Republicans disagreed.
"The so-called 'shutdown' authority in the bill is anything but, riddled with loopholes that grant far too much discretionary authority to [Homeland Security] Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas — who has proven he will exploit every measure possible, in defiance of the law, to keep the border open," the GOP leadership's statement said.
"The bill also fails to adequately stop the President's abuse of parole authority and provides for taxpayer funds to fly and house illegal immigrants in hotels through the FEMA Shelter and Services Program."
The Republican leaders called for the Senate to instead pass the Secure the Border Act (HR 2), which the House passed in May.
The Secure the Border Act's provisions include resuming construction on the border wall, tightening asylum standards, criminalizing visa overstays, increasing the number of Border Patrol Agents, and defunding non-governmental organizations that receive tax dollars to help send illegal aliens throughout the U.S.
"Because President Biden has refused to utilize his broad executive authority to end the border catastrophe that he has created, the House led nine months ago with the passage of the Secure the Border Act (HR 2)," the GOP leaders said. "That bill contains the necessary components to actually stem the flow of illegals and end the present crisis. The Senate must take it up immediately.
"America's sovereignty is at stake."
Reuters contributed to this story.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.