On Wednesday, the White House attributed the deterioration of the situation at the southern border to the GOP, asserting this stance just as Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) geared up to lead a group of Republicans to observe the conditions at the border.
In a statement, Andrew Bates, the spokesperson for the White House, contended that the GOP has a history of opposing border security. He claimed that they had previously obstructed both funding for border security and President Biden’s border-related proposals. Bates highlighted their lack of support for the supplemental funding package proposed by Biden, which aims to provide assistance to Ukraine and Israel while also allocating funds for additional border agents.
Bates highlighted that Republicans had resisted President Joe Biden’s January 2021 announcement to modernize the immigration system. He asserted that the GOP consistently obstructed plans aimed at enhancing border security, opting instead for advancing extreme and partisan demands.Â
Emphasizing the principle that actions speak louder than words, Bates pointed to the House Republicans’ track record, citing their efforts to reduce Customs and Border Protection personnel and oppose all funding requests from the President.
Johnson has criticized Biden in the past, contending that it was the President’s policies that exacerbated the border situation and accusing him of neglecting his duty to ensure border security. Johnson went on to criticize Biden further, asserting that the extra funds were not intended to curb illegal immigration but rather to facilitate the processing of more illegal immigrants through the “catch and release” order.
