Conference Chair Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) is a no-vote on the pro-migration border bill unveiled on Sunday, explaining that it “does not meet most Americans’ standard of securing our border now” and concluding that Americans will turn to the 2024 presidential election to end the crisis at the southern border.
“For three years President Joe Biden and Senate Democrats fought against every attempt to protect Americans from the crisis at our Southern Border,” Barrasso said in a statement, adding that the results of their negligence at the border have been both “predictable and deadly.”
“In those three years, there have been 8.8 million illegal border crossings. Joe Biden’s surrender to cartels, drug dealers, and criminals has made every American less safe,” he said.
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Barrasso defended Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), the face of the Republican side of negotiations, asserting that his colleague “worked relentlessly to change the course of this crisis.”
“He fought for us to close the border and for a return to polices that stop the flood of illegal immigration. Joe Biden and Senate Democrats failed him and failed the country,” he claimed before specifically addressing the legislation itself.
“The proposed legislation does not meet most Americans’ standard of securing our border now. It doesn’t force the Biden administration to end its abuse of current law,” the senator said.
“It leaves in place a number of the Democrat-created incentives that are fueling the crisis,” he continued, concluding that “President Biden and Senator Schumer will never accept the significant changes required for American safety and border security.”
“Joe Biden will never enforce any new law and refuses to use the tools he already has today to end this crisis. I cannot vote for this bill. Americans will turn to the upcoming election to end the border crisis,” he added.
Barrasso’s statement follows many other Republican senators expressing opposition to the border bill, including but not limited to Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Rand Paul (R-KY), Mike Lee (R-UT), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Steve Daines (R-MT).
Former President Donald Trump has also spoken out about the legislation, deeming it “horrendous.”
“Only a fool, or a Radical Left Democrat, would vote for this horrendous Border Bill, which only gives Shutdown Authority after 5000 Encounters a day, when we already have the right to CLOSE THE BORDER NOW, which must be done,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, calling the bill a “great gift to the Democrats, and a Death Wish for The Republican Party”:
“It takes the HORRIBLE JOB the Democrats have done on Immigration and the Border, absolves them, and puts it all squarely on the shoulders of Republicans. Don’t be STUPID!!!” Trump exclaimed.
“We need a separate Border and Immigration Bill. It should not be tied to foreign aid in any way, shape, or form!” he said.
“The Democrats broke Immigration and the Border. They should fix it. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!” he added.