House Republicans may tie immigration reform to gov’t funding as shutdown looms

[RAY BOGAN]

SOME OF THE MOST CONSERVATIVE HOUSE REPUBLICANS SAY THEY ARE WILLING TO SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT IF MORE ACTION ISN’T TAKEN TO ADDRESS IMMIGRATION.

HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON AND 64 OF HIS G-O-P COLLEAGUES VISITED EAGLE PASS, TEXAS WEDNESDAY. 

THE VISIT COMES TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE DEADLINE TO FUND THE GOVERNMENT.

ACCORDING TO FOX REPORTER BILL MELUGIN, THE MESSAGE FROM CONSERVATIVE LAWMAKERS, INCLUDING FREEDOM CAUCUS MEMBERS, IS: “shut the border down, or we’ll shut the government down. We control the money.”

[REP. MIKE JOHNSON | (R) HOUSE SPEAKER (JAN 3, 2024)]

What we saw today only made House Republicans more resolved to stand for sanity and the American people. And we will do it If President Biden wants a supplemental spending bill focused on national security, it better begin by defending America’s national security here. 

[RAY BOGAN]

REPUBLICANS ARE CALLING ON PRESIDENT BIDEN TO REINSTATE THE TRUMP-ERA “REMAIN IN MEXICO” POLICY WHICH REQUIRES ASYLUM SEEKERS TO WAIT IN MEXICO WHILE THEY’RE CLAIMS ARE ADJUDICATED. PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS PREVIOUSLY CALLED THE POLICY INHUMANE.

[REP. JIM JORDAN | (R) OHIO (JAN 3, 2024)]

Are we going to force that sentence, that solution on a piece of legislation to get this done? That should be our charge. If we don’t, then we’re going to have to wait. Then we’re going to have to wait for the presidential election and hope that President Trump is the new president where we can get back to the policies at work.

[RAY BOGAN]

ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS CRITICIZED THE TRIP AND SAY REPUBLICANS ARE NOT MAKING A SINCERE EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEXITIES OF BORDER SECURITY.

[KARINE JEAN-PIERRE | WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY (JAN 3, 2024)]

They’re doing political stunts.
They’re getting in the way and they don’t want to help. But we’re glad that we are working with Senate Republicans and Democrats in a bipartisan way to come up with a bipartisan agreement to deal with border security.

[RAY BOGAN]

MEANWHILE, SENATE DEMOCRATS ARE PUSHING TO APPROVE THE PRESIDENT’S 1-HUNDRED-10 BILLION DOLLAR SUPPLEMENTAL PACKAGE, WHICH INCLUDES AID FOR UKRAINE AND ISRAEL, ALONGSIDE FUNDING FOR BORDER SECURITY. 

[KARINE JEAN-PIERRE | WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY (JAN 3, 2024)]

Our Border Patrol agents need more resources. We need more immigration judges. We need more resources to get this done. We need the technology at the border to deal with what’s going on with migrants at the border.

[RAY BOGAN]

REPUBLICANS IN BOTH CHAMBERS SAY THEY WON’T SUPPORT THAT PACKAGE UNLESS IT CONTAINS ASYLUM AND PAROLE REFORMS. BUT NOW, THESE HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING ALL GOVERNMENT FUNDING IS ON THE TABLE. 

[REP. BETH VAN DUYNE | (R)TEXAS (JAN 3, 2024)]

None of us want to shut down the government, but we all recognize the fact that every single penny that we are giving to homeland security at this point is not being used to secure our border, that is not being used to increase our national security, but it’s doing the exact opposite. It is weakening it.