House Majority Whip Tom Emmer accused President Biden of only now caring about border security because it could be a political liability and blamed the administration for the crisis.
Mr. Emmer’s comments come as Senate negotiations to tie border security policy to Mr. Biden’s $110 billion funding request for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan are seemingly going nowhere.
His remarks also follow Mr. Biden’s promise on Friday to quickly use emergency authority rumored to be in the border deal if Congress coalesces around a package.
“The only reason that President Biden is even interested in discussing this issue, Neil, is because it has now become a political liability for the White House,” Mr. Emmer, Minnesota Republican, told Fox News’ Neil Cavuto on Saturday.
The congressman requested to see the possible bill’s text, noting that whatever policy is brokered into the package must make a “substantive fix, not just words.”
House Republicans have bullishly refused to accept anything less than the policies found in the chamber’s Secure the Border Act.
Chief on their border security wishlist are to reinstate former President Donald Trump’s Remain in Mexico policy, stop Mr. Biden’s amnesty proposal and end the administration’s catch-and-release practice.
Without that trio, Republicans won’t back the deal, Mr. Emmer said.
“I’m going to have a very difficult time getting the votes that are necessary, even if it comes to the floor,” he said.
Though text hasn’t been officially released, details suggest the pact is all but dead in the GOP-led House. One point involves the number of illegals allowed to cross daily, with Senate Republicans saying limit them to 3,000 and Democrats 5,000. House Republicans and their constituents are outraged.
The chances of the deal making it to the House floor for a vote are slim to none after House Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday pronounced the possible legislation “dead on arrival.”
Mr. Johnson and Mr. Emmer believe the president could secure the border with a stroke of his pen.
Mr. Emmer argued that Mr. Biden undid Mr. Trump’s border policies with executive orders and suggested stopping that in the future.
“We need to restore not only what President Trump did, but then we need to pass legislation so we eliminate all of this flexibility that allows someone to go into office and undo all the protections that have been created,” he said.
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
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