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.

  • lennybird@lemmy.worldEnglish
    12·
    11 months ago

    Losing won’t work either. Have to face the brutal reality of elections somehow.

    But do go into the oval office and tell Biden, “I know a large amount of Democrats and I know a majority of independents and swing voters cite this as their top issue, but I really think you should do nothing because your hands are tied anyway by Republicans. So yeah, don’t even bother appealing to them! Trust me. This is a winning election strategy!”

    • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.worldEnglish
      21·
      11 months ago

      Capitulating to Republicans won’t win anything.

      But you’ll get to capitulate to Republicans, which is its own reward.

          • lennybird@lemmy.worldEnglish
            12·
            11 months ago

            Yeah, you’re right… What am I thinking. Clearly this issue that has persisted for years and only continued to rise as a concern in voters’ minds will go away and it’s not a good idea to get a head-start on it in terms of shaping the campaign. Guess Ukrainians should just continue to suffer without aid, too.