More Details Come Out About Border Bill
The recent Senate border bill has been met with widespread criticism and concern over its effectiveness in tackling the ongoing border crisis. As more details emerge about the bill, it is becoming increasingly clear that it is riddled with flaws and loopholes.
One of the major issues with the bill, as highlighted by my colleague Bonchie, is its emergency provisions. The bill states that the emergency power to shut down the border will only be activated once the number of illegal immigrants reaches an average of 5,000 over seven consecutive days, or 8,500 in one day. However, the discretion to activate this power is given at an average of 4,000 per day over seven consecutive days, creating confusion and inconsistency.
The flaws in the bill do not end there. As it turns out, President Joe Biden has the power to override the emergency shutdown if he deems it in the national interest, essentially giving him the final say in enforcing the law at the border. This raises concerns about whether the bill is truly effective in addressing the issue or if it is simply a way for the Biden administration to shift the blame onto Congress.
— Dr. Nickarama (@nickaramaOG) February 5, 2024
Moreover, there is another sneaky provision buried in the bill that many have overlooked. While some initially thought that the emergency power would not include illegal immigrants from non-contiguous countries, it actually only applies to unaccompanied children from these countries. This means that any child who crosses the border alone from Mexico or Canada will not be counted in the threshold for triggering the emergency power.
This potentially vast number of unaccompanied minors could add to the already overwhelming influx of illegal immigrants at the border. The bill also states that no unaccompanied minors can be removed, and many will receive attorneys, either through pro bono services or at taxpayers' expense. This not only compounds the issue at the border but also raises concerns about the allocation of resources.
— Dr. Nickarama (@nickaramaOG) February 5, 2024
Senator Bill Hagerty also pointed out another concerning aspect of the bill – the use of taxpayer money to transport illegal immigrants to Democratic sanctuary cities. This not only goes against the wishes of some mayors in these cities, who have expressed concern over the strain on resources, but it also has potential consequences for the census and apportionment of congressional seats.
As the details of this bill come to light, many are left wondering why it is even necessary. It has been repeatedly emphasized that the root cause of the border crisis is the executive orders signed by President Biden on his first day in office. Undoing these orders would effectively solve the issue at hand, making this bill seem like an unnecessary and ineffective Band-Aid solution.
This is more of our tax dollars being used to buy off Democrat sanctuary city mayors. This is the “border security” Democrats really want. (2/4)
— Senator Bill Hagerty (@SenatorHagerty) February 5, 2024
In the words of Julio Rosas, the simple answer to the border crisis is to enforce the law. However, instead of doing his job, President Biden and the Democrats are trying to shift the responsibility onto Congress and pass a flawed bill that will do little to address the crisis. As more people become aware of the details of this bill, the overwhelming response has been a resounding "no." It remains to be seen if Congress will listen to the people and come up with a more effective solution or continue to push through a bill that seems destined to fail.