The White House statement comes after a week of frantic negotiations in the Senate.

The White House statement comes after a week of frantic negotiations in the Senate.

President Joe Biden on Friday urged Congress to pass a bipartisan bill to address the immigration crisis at the nation’s southern border, saying he would shut down the border the day the bill became law.

“What’s been negotiated would — if passed into law — be the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border we’ve ever had in our country,” Biden said in a statement. “It would give me, as President, a new emergency authority to shut down the border when it becomes overwhelmed. And if given that authority, I would use it the day I sign the bill into law.”

Biden’s Friday evening statement resembles a ramping up in rhetoric for the administration, placing the president philosophically in the camp arguing that the border may hit a point where closure is needed. The White House’s decision to have Biden weigh in also speaks to the delicate nature of the dealmaking, and the urgency facing his administration to take action on the border — particularly during an election year, when Republicans have used the issue to rally their base.

The president is also daring Republicans to reject the deal as it faces a make-or-break moment amid GOP fissures.

  • @ArbitraryValueEnglish
    -4•5 months ago

    There are two separate questions here.

    Do I think this could be solved with (much) more funding at the federal level? Yes, that’s one way to do it, and better than letting people in without allocating such funding.

    Do I think that’s the ideal solution? No, I don’t think the USA should be letting in everyone who crosses the border, with little to no screening. There are many people who have applied through official channels and waited for many years; let them in first rather than rewarding the ones who skip the line.

    (Australia has a policy that asylum seekers who arrive without a visa will be sheltered in refugee camps until it is safe for them to leave, but they will not be allowed to move freely in the country or given any more opportunities to become permanent residents than they would have had if they applied for a visa. I think something like that may be a good idea.)

    • originalucifer
      15•5 months ago

      both things here are resolved with solid immigration funding.

      yep, we should be letting Everyone… at least to the door, where we can then screen them. and then take appropriate action.

      you do have a point that the immigration process is broken. that it takes a decade to get in is absolutely due to racism and conservative policies, which requires more than funding… it would take compassionate politicians.

      • @ArbitraryValueEnglish
        -5•5 months ago

        I’m an immigrant myself. I came here with a refugee visa when I was a child, and that was extremely fortunate for me - the place where I was born is now a war zone. I’m a strong supporter of allowing in the people who have applied, passed all the checks, and waited patiently. It’s a win-win situation, good for the immigrants and good for this country. I’m saying that so you can understand where I’m coming from. I’m not afraid of or hostile to immigrants, I just want the current, broken system fixed in a way that’s fair to the people who are trying to come here legally. I don’t see that happening soon.

          • @[email protected]
            1•5 months ago

            This is a stupid and unnecessary rebuttal. You may not agree but at least be somewhat charitable. They aren’t saying close the borders to everyone. The individual is just asking that the rest follow the same path he/she did. That’s all. I don’t understand this vitriol on social media.