WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – A bipartisan plan to secure the southern border appears to now be on life support. Wednesday, in his first floor speech as Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson said House Republicans will not support anything short of Trump era immigration policies.
“We’re not going to agree to a fix that doesn’t solve the problem,” said Johnson. “We are here to stop the flow and stopping the flow is not rocket science it takes political courage.”
Democrats are calling House Republicans’ objections politically motivated.
“So that President Trump can campaign on the issue in the fall, don’t solve the problem…this is shameful,” said Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.).
Former President Donald Trump is publicly lobbying against the package. Following a meeting with Teamsters in DC Monday he argued the deal will surge more migrants to the border.
“This isn’t Republican or Democrat it’s a bad bill,” said Trump.
The Biden administration is encouraging Democrats and Republicans who’ve been negotiating a compromise in the Senate for months to stay the course.
Although the text of the deal has not been published, a growing number of Senate Republicans are also growing skeptical these immigration policies go far enough and are considering dividing the package, which also includes security aid for Israel and Ukraine.
Wednesday, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said his caucus is still discussing the matter but did not offer an update.
When asked if Republicans regret linking border aid to Ukraine and Israel aid he acknowledged the effort was complicated.
Both McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer acknowledge getting aid to Ukraine is especially urgent. The Pentagon says the U.S. has run out of Ukraine funding.
“It’s time for us to move something,” said McConnell.
