(DCWatchdog.com) – Proving Democrats’ open-arms policy towards illegal migration, Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer lashed out at the Republican senators’ border security strategy.
Schumer unequivocally dismissed the GOP’s approach, which includes resuming border wall construction, restricting asylum claims under the catch-and-release policy, and closing the so-called family loophole that incentivizes migrants to bring children.
He labeled the Republican plan to have a vote on such policies alongside aid for Ukraine and Israel a “total non-starter,” critiquing the GOP for repurposing elements from the contentious H.R. 2 bill of the House.
Schumer’s refusal highlights the complex challenges that lie in the path of a bipartisan agreement on security assistance for multiple regions, including Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific, and the U.S. southern border.
Doubling down on his open-border position, Schumer, a New York Democrat, stated: “Instead of putting together commonsense border policies that can pass in divided government, Senate Republicans basically copy and pasted large chunks of the House’s radical H.R. 2 bill.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell responded, defending the necessity for policy reform to address what he deems Joe Biden’s “border crisis.” McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, criticized the Democratic approach, which he perceives as a plan to hasten the admission of more individuals into the country without considering the implications.
With the Democrats requiring the support of nine GOP senators to overcome a filibuster, Republican leverage becomes apparent, especially concerning Biden’s $106 billion aid proposal for several regions and border processing. Republicans insist on significant policy revisions to mitigate the unprecedented influx of illegal immigration.
Echoing McConnell’s sentiments, Senate Minority Whip John Thune underscored border security as a national concern, suggesting that negotiations are inevitable. While Schumer stands firm on his initial position, Thune anticipates a need for compromise.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is advancing a segmented legislative approach on a separate legislative front, having already passed a substantial aid bill for Israel. The Louisiana Republican has committed to a dedicated vote on Ukraine aid in the future.
Expecting a Republican capitulation, Schumer expects a bipartisan resolution that addresses border control, particularly the narcotics issue, saying, “I’d like to bridge the divide and see commonsense border policies done, and the president would like to get something done.”
