House GOP votes to boost border security by finishing wall, hiring thousands of agents as Title 42 expires
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House Republicans voted on Thursday to pass enhanced border-security measures to stem the tide illegal immigration into the US, just hours before Title 42’s expiration.
The House approved the Secure the Border Act 219-213, which was introduced in the beginning of this month. It addresses a crisis Republicans claim will only worsen with the elimination of the rule allowing for the rapid removal and deportation of migrants.
Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, and John Duarte, a Republican from California were the only Republicans to vote against this bill. The measure was not supported by any Democrats.
The bill will not pass the Senate, and Biden has promised to veto the bill if it gets to his desk.
Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn, who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee said before the vote the Biden Administration “created an incentive that resulted in a mass wave of immigration” and the president should not dismiss the issue.
He said, “I believe that with Title 42 ending they should be very careful when vetoing the bill.” “It will only get worse.”
The current course is not sustainable. We’re overrun. The Post quoted Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, who is also a member of the Homeland Security Committee.
Over 10,000 migrants have been arrested every day in the days before the repeal of Title 42.
Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., said: “We are witnessing an illegal mass immigration on a level the world has not seen before.” Title 42 is our last remaining border enforcement tool. When it disappears, I think we’ll see hundreds of thousands more migrants flooding into border towns.
The bill requests that the Department of Homeland Security resume construction of a border wall started under the Trump Administration. The bill also allows the agency to hire 22,000 more Border Patrol agents.
Many Republicans who voted in favor of the bill were pleased with its reforms regarding the asylum policy and its provisions to crack down on drug cartels.
The Post reported that Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican from New York, said “Joe Biden allowed drug cartels run our border.” They make $13,000,000 a year by exploiting migrants, trafficking kids and trafficking fentanyl.
“They know the protocols for migrant protection worked. Secretary [of Homeland Security Alejandro] Mayorkas is aware of this. McCaul said, “I think Secretary [of States Antony] Blinken is aware of this.” “I would ask them not to throw out a working policy just because Trump’s name was on it.”
Massie, however, voted against it because of the provision regarding E-Verify. This federal program helps to determine legal employment. Employers across the country would have to use E-Verify for all hiring if it was implemented.
He tweeted on May 7: “Biden forced thousands of Americans to get VACCINES, by threatening them with their jobs and making EMPLOYERS enforcers.” Imagine giving Biden E-verify, the ultimate on/off button for EMPLOYMENT.
Mayorkas said to CBS News Sunday, that his agency is currently operating within “a broken immigration systems.”
Even Democratic officials have distanced themselves from Biden’s policies. New York City Mayor Eric Adams suspended the right-to shelter laws in the Big Apple, anticipating a migration surge.
“Our country has been facing an unprecedented border crisis for the past two decades because of Joe Biden’s failed open-border policies. These policies turned every district in our country into a district border and every state as a state border,” also stated GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, R-NY.
“Yet another time, House Republicans have been the only ones to work on addressing the crises created by Biden’s Far Left Agenda.”
Last week, Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin sent 1,500 active duty US soldiers to the border. However, the troops were mobilized primarily to perform administrative tasks.
Schumer’s spokesperson did not respond immediately to a comment request.