United States—US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Sunday that the Senate would once again try this week to pass a border security bill after a previous attempt failed to win enough Republican support to overcome former President Donald Trump.
“I hope Republicans and Democrats can work together to pass the bipartisan Border Act this coming week,” Schumer said in a letter to senators.
Bipartisan Border Act Proposal
The Border Act would change asylum laws in the US, add thousands of border guards, and address the challenge of fentanyl, among other items proposed by the Democratic leader, as reported by Reuters.
Republican lawmakers who are currently holding the House described the bill as purely political.
White House Support and Opposition
“Should it reach the House, the bill would be dead on arrival,” House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republicans said in a statement.
The White House also showed its full support and backing for the legislation.
Shift Away from Foreign Aid Focus
The previous legislation focused on the framework of US foreign aid for Ukraine and Israel, but Schumer said this bill would not be associated with foreign aid.
Republicans continue to use the high number of migrants caught stealing into the United States from Mexico since Joe Biden was elected as the Democratic president in 2021 as a major campaign issue. Trump is claiming that Biden won unfairly and is trying to regain his seat through the new election scheduled for Nov. 5.
Political Maneuvering and Election Dynamics
February witnessed an immigration bill ground to a halt as Trump advised Republican senators not to vote for a bill that contained several border control measures that they had sought, as reported by Reuters.
“The former President made clear he would rather preserve the issue for his campaign than solve the issue in a bipartisan fashion. On cue, many of our Republican colleagues abruptly reversed course on their prior support, announcing their new-found opposition to the bipartisan proposal,” Schumer said.
Leave a Reply