House Republican Leaders Declare Senate Immigration Bill ‘Dead on Arrival’

House Republican Leaders released a joint statement Monday declaring the “bipartisan” Senate immigration bill “dead on arrival,” and “a waste of time” in its current form. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), GOP Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), and House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) said that House Republicans are rejecting the Senate’s legislation “because it fails in every policy area needed to secure our border and would actually incentivize more illegal immigration.”

The GOP leaders urged the Senate to take up the the tougher immigration bill the House passed last year.

Among its many flaws, the bill expands work authorizations for illegal aliens while failing to include critical asylum reforms. Even worse, its language allowing illegals to be ‘released from physical custody’ would effectively endorse the Biden ‘catch and release’ policy.

The so-called ‘shutdown’ authority in the bill is anything but, riddled with loopholes that grant far too much discretionary authority to Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas – who has proven he will exploit every measure possible, in defiance of the law, to keep the border open.

The bill also fails to adequately stop the President’s abuse of parole authority and provides for taxpayer funds to fly and house illegal immigrants in hotels through the FEMA Shelter and Services Program.

Because President Biden has refused to utilize his broad executive authority to end the border catastrophe that he has created, the House led nine months ago with the passage of the Secure the Border Act (H.R. 2). That bill contains the necessary components to actually stem the flow of illegals and end the present crisis. The Senate must take it up immediately.

Any consideration of this Senate bill in its current form is a waste of time. It is DEAD on arrival in the House. We encourage the U.S. Senate to reject it.

The GOP leaders said “America’s sovereignty is at stake.”

My joint statement with @SteveScalise, @GOPMajorityWhip, and @RepStefanik regarding the Senate's immigration bill:

House Republicans oppose the Senate immigration bill because it fails in every policy area needed to secure our border and would actually incentivize more illegal…

— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) February 5, 2024

Monday morning, MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” framed opposition to the Senate immigration bill as the work of Donald Trump, MAGA “extremists” and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) urged Johnson to ignore the naysayers and “do the right thing to fix the border.”

"The [hard-right extremists] are running your show… Do the right thing. You know what the right thing to do is… You say the border is in chaos, do something about it, don't just politically posture."

— @SenSchumer has a direct message for Speaker Johnson on the border bill pic.twitter.com/vLtQOF6f0b

— Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) February 5, 2024

Schumer said if the bill isn’t passed, a number of worldwide calamities would ensue and U.S. troops might have to be sent to Ukraine to fight in the war against Russia.

BREAKING: Dems Senate Leader Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) EXPLODES, says if the bill is killed, America will regret it, Ukraine will lose the war, Israel will not defeat Hamas, Palestinians will starve to death and Americans might fight in Europe. WATCHpic.twitter.com/Qk0gLIKxpq

— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) February 5, 2024

Joe Biden released a statement on Sunday urging congress to “pass the bill immediately.”

We’ve reached an agreement on a bipartisan deal that includes the toughest and fairest set of border reforms in decades. And it includes support for Ukraine and Israel and provides humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people.

I urge Congress to pass this bill immediately. pic.twitter.com/jGuiDDxIO9

— President Biden (@POTUS) February 5, 2024

During a news conference in Miami Monday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called the Senate Bill a “farce” and a “dog and pony show” that will just exacerbate the border crisis.

“People are starting to point out what a farce it is to basically say that you only shut the border down once 5,000 people a day come in illegally, which is about two million a year,” DeSantis said. “That’s basically legalizing illegal immigration.”

“[This] shows me the contempt these people in D.C. have for American taxpayers. The amount of money they want to send all around the world, the amount of money that they’re saying they’ll use for border, but it’s really going to go to facilitate more of the problem, I just think the whole thing is a farce,” DeSantis continued.

“The fact of the matter is, the president  has the authority to secure the country’s border. You don’t need a new piece of legislation to do that. Just do it!” the Florida governor said.

BREAKING: Ron DeSantis reacts to Senate border deal

"You only shut the border down once 5,000 people a day come in illegally? […] That's basically legalizing illegal immigration."

"[This] shows me the contempt these people in D.C. have for American taxpayers." pic.twitter.com/uwluBjXsCU

— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) February 5, 2024

While touting Florida’s booming economy, DeSantis also cited last week’s CNN story that alleged illegal immigrant criminal gangs go to Florida to spend money after committing crimes in Democrat sanctuary states.

“Heck, even the criminals spend their money [in Florida]. Did you see the story?” he quipped.

“You had CNN [panel discussing] why don’t they just steal in Florida? They’re like, because they’ll go to jail if they steal in Florida!”

DESANTIS: "Heck, even the criminals spend their money [in Florida]. Did you see the story?"

"You had CNN [panel discussing] why don't they just steal in Florida? They're like, because they'll go to jail if they steal in Florida!" pic.twitter.com/rBjrJEJwAs

— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) February 5, 2024