Calling Biden's Bluff: Threats Of Open Border Chaos Turn Into Rumors Of 'Executive Action'
On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre warned that unless the $118B 'bipartisan' border security bill (which allocates more than $75 billion for Ukraine and Israel) isn't passed, there will be chaos at the southern US border.
"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," she said on Air Force One, The Politics Brief reports.
"We have asked Congress for additional funding and resources, and every time Congress has provided less than we asked for, or most recently, completely ignored our supplemental request."
Calling Biden's Bluff
Likely sensing that nobody is buying what they're selling, NBC News reported Wednesday night - citing anonymous sources (of course) that the Biden administration is now considering taking executive action to deter illegal immigration across the southern border.
Perhaps the administration realizes that passing legislation on border security attached to Ukraine and Israel aid is a no-go, while actively fighting Texas over keeping the border open is not a good look.
And of course, NBC wants us to know that "the plans have been under consideration for months."
So, why force Congress to cough up billions for foreign countries first before playing that card then? Why not keep the border closed three years ago, instead of nuking Trump-era policies and announcing that the US was open to any and all?
The unilateral measures under consideration might upset some progressives in Congress, the officials said, but they noted that Democratic mayors who have asked for more help from the federal government to handle the influx of migrants in their cities would be pleased. The measures are still being drafted and are not expected to take place any time soon.
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Biden faces growing political backlash, some of it from members of his own party, over his handling of the border as he campaigns for re-election. He plans to cite the Republican turnabout on the bipartisan border legislation as proof that for political reasons the GOP does not really want to solve the problem. But he is still vulnerable on the issue, trailing his likely 2024 opponent, former President Donald Trump, by more than 30 points on securing the border and controlling immigration, according to a new NBC News poll released this week. -NBC News
"It's a plan B," said an anonymous official.