Former President Donald Trump said the Senate bipartisan border deal would only make the migrant crisis worse under President Biden.
What’s more, Mr. Trump said Mr. Biden would use the as-yet-concluded agreement to blame Republicans for his border mess.
“A Border Bill is not necessary to stop the millions of people, many from jails and mental institutions located all over the World, that are POURING INTO OUR COUNTRY. It is an INVASION the likes of which no Country has ever had to endure,” he wrote on Truth Social Monday. “It is not sustainable or affordable, and will, under Crooked Joe Biden, ONLY GET WORSE.”
Mr. Trump has been vocal about his dislike of a border bill, which negotiators on both sides have been discussing for months.
He said the Senate is using the bill as a way to pin the border crisis on Republicans.
“I had the safest and most secure Border in the U.S. History,” he said. “I didn’t need a ’Bill!’” They are using his horrific Senate Bill as a way of being able to put the BORDER DISASTER onto the shoulders of the Republicans. The Democrats BROKE THE BORDER, they should fix it. NO LEGISLATION IS NEEDED, IT’S ALREADY THERE!!!”
He has warned Republicans in social media posts earlier this month not to agree to any border deal “unless we get EVERYTHING needed to shut down the INVASION of Millions & Millions of people.”
The White House says it needs new powers to solve the border. Republicans say Mr. Trump had a secure border with the same laws that are still available to Mr. Biden, and that he used to solve a 2019 surge without help from Congress.
In December 2020, the last full month under Mr. Trump, Customs and Border Protection recorded roughly 92,000 nationwide encounters with unauthorized migrants. Four years later, in December 2023, Mr. Biden saw four times that number.
Still, Mr. Trump’s comments have ruffled the feathers of Republicans who want a deal and warned Mr. Trump is helping sink it.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, said last week that the dual Ukraine aid-border deal is on the brink of collapse. He told his Republican colleagues that the “politics have changed” with Mr. Trump’s influence strengthening as he closes in on the GOP presidential nomination.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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