With the Border Security Bill being voted down in the Senate, the White House is saying that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) does not have the funding it needs and will soon be forced to reduce operations.
White House says ICE will reduce deportations, detention capacity if Republicans don't pass border bill https://t.co/FWHhnID29B
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 7, 2024
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that the administration has no choice but to pull back from the southern border and blamed Republicans for the move.
“Because congressional Republicans are choosing partisan politics over our national security and refusing to pass the bipartisan national security agreement that includes significant border reforms and funding, over the coming weeks, ICE will be forced to reduce operations because of budget shortfalls,” Jean-Pierre told reporters.
Leading up to Wednesday’s vote on the bill, Republicans made it clear that the legislation did not do enough to make it worthwhile.
“I’ve seen enough,” House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote. “This bill is even worse than we expected, and won’t come close to ending the border catastrophe the President has created. As the lead Democrat negotiator proclaimed: Under this legislation, ‘the border never closes.’ If the bill reaches the House, it will be dead on arrival.”
Even if the bill had passed the Senate, House Republicans were poised to shoot it down.
Democrats, on the other hand, accused Republicans of “playing politics” rather than putting the needs of Americans first.
“Every day between now and November, the American people are going to know that the only reason the border is not secure is Donald Trump and his Maga [‘Make America Great Again’] Republican friends,” President Joe Biden exclaimed.
“It’s time for Republicans in Congress to show a little courage, to show a little spine, to make it clear to the American people that you work for them – not for anyone else.”
The bill failed in the Senate 49-50, however, with bipartisan opposition. Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren (MA), Ed Markey (MA), Alex Padilla (CA), Bob Menendez (NJ), and Chuck Schumer (NY) joined 45 Republicans in stopping its passage.
After accusing Republicans of playing politics by asking for and not passing the bill, the White House is now stating that ICE will be forced to reduce operations because the bill did not pass.
“When ICE can’t conduct these operations, our national security and public safety will be harmed. Speaker Johnson and congressional Republicans should be held accountable. This was their choice,” Jean-Pierre said.
