2024 Border Legislation

[Ernie]

As a follower of Jesus, I cannot personally support the use of force and coercion that the governments of this world are appointed to do.

But from a "this world" civil perspective, the proposed Senate legislation seems like a step in a better direction, even if it is not what everyone wants.

https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/ar ... verwhelmed

[Grace]

As a follower of Jesus, I cannot personally support the use of force and coercion that the governments of this world are appointed to do.

But from a "this world" civil perspective, the proposed Senate legislation seems like a step in a better direction, even if it is not what everyone wants.

https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/ar ... verwhelmed

I agree with your first sentence.

As for the second sentence and the reference to new border legislation. At the time of taking office Biden inherited the lowest rate of illegal immigration in 45 years. Then at beginning of his presidency he made political decisions that incentivized and caused the crisis at the border. He brought back catch and release, halted construction of the wall, and ended the "Remain in Mexico" policy. Now he and the Senate want to put a band aid on the crisis Biden created.

The administration isn’t enforcing the current immigration laws regarding illegal migrants, so based on the past record, it is highly doubtful they will follow anything in this new proposed deal .

[Josh]

The White House has agreed to new limits on asylum at the border, including the creation of an expulsion power that would allow migrants who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally to be rapidly returned to Mexico if migrant encounters surpassed 4,000 per day, three sources familiar with the matter said.

If encounters passed 5,000 per day, the use of the expulsion authority would become mandatory, according to the sources who requested anonymity to discuss details of the private negotiations.

Allowing 1.4 million illegal arrivals a year is ridiculous

How about they just start using an expulsion power now for every illegal crossing?

There are legal ports of entry all over the place. Anyone seeking to enter (including asylum seekers) may enter there.

[Ernie]

Allowing 1.4 million illegal arrivals a year is ridiculous
How about they just start using an expulsion power now for every illegal crossing?

About half of Congress agrees with you. But not enough agree to pass such a law at this point.

[RZehr]

Laws are a joke if politicians ensure that the laws aren’t followed.

[Josh]

Allowing 1.4 million illegal arrivals a year is ridiculous
How about they just start using an expulsion power now for every illegal crossing?

About half of Congress agrees with you. But not enough agree to pass such a law at this point.

The law is actually that illegal aliens are, well, illegal, and the President has broad latitude what to do with them. The question is why he refuses to simply enforce the laws the rest of us live under.

[Ken]

From yesterdays Washington Post: https://wapo.st/49sKdkD (emphasis mine)

Biden vows to ‘shut down’ an overwhelmed border if Senate deal passes

Senators hope to release the legislative text of the bill next week, but it faces stiff odds in the Republican-led House

By Toluse Olorunnipa and Liz Goodwin
Updated January 26, 2024 at 8:51 p.m. EST|Published January 26, 2024 at 6:51 p.m. EST

President Biden said Friday that he would use new emergency authorities to “shut down the border when it becomes overwhelmed” if Congress passes a bipartisan immigration plan that the Senate has been negotiating.

The comments signified a remarkable shift in tone for a Democratic president and underscored the urgency of the issue for his reelection campaign as immigration remains one of his most vexing political and policy challenges.

In a lengthy statement Friday, Biden praised the bipartisan border deal senators have been negotiating, calling it “the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border we’ve ever had in our country.”

“It would give me, as President, a new emergency authority to shut down the border when it becomes overwhelmed,” he said. “And if given that authority, I would use it the day I sign the bill into law.”

Biden is referencing a new expulsion authority senators have negotiated that would kick in on days unauthorized border crossings reach 5,000 over a five-day average, according to two people familiar with the outlines of the deal who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations. That authority would shut down most asylum screenings for migrants crossing illegally. Migrants could still apply at ports of entry, where a set number of asylum claims would need to be granted, they said. Migrants would be expelled indefinitely until crossings dipped below 3,750 per day, which would end the expulsion authority period.

The deal also changes the U.S. asylum process with the goal of reducing the average time for an asylum claim to be resolved from several years to 6 months, the people said. It also raises the standard for migrants to be able to make an asylum claim in the first place. Some Republicans’ goal to dramatically curtail Biden’s use of his humanitarian parole powers for certain categories of migrants is not in the final deal, they said.

Senators said they hope to release the legislative text of the deal next week.

With crossings passing 10,000 per day during much of last month, both Democrats and Republicans have described that level of migration as unsustainable. Crossings have declined so far in January as Mexico has stepped up its enforcement, but Biden’s pledge to invoke a new “shut down” authority immediately upon signing a bill suggested that the border remained “overwhelmed.”

“For too long, we all know the border’s been broken,” Biden said in his statement. “It’s long past time to fix it.”

In a political atmosphere in which former president Donald Trump and top Republicans have hammered Biden over the influx of millions of migrants into the country, the president’s willingness — and apparent eagerness — to pursue a “shut down” at the border marked a major departure from traditional Democratic rhetoric on migration. It was also a reversal for Biden, who came into office determined to undo much of Trump’s immigration policies and implement what he called “humane and orderly” systems for processing desperate people fleeing troubled homelands.

Trump, the leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, has publicly opposed the bipartisan Senate deal, dismissing it as “meaningless.” He has repeatedly claimed that he would close down the border with Mexico on the first day of his presidency. He has also pledged to launch a massive deportation operation.

Biden has faced accusations from parts of his political base that his approach to the migrant crisis has become too reminiscent of Trump’s restrictive policies. His decision to back a Senate deal that includes a new provision to close down the border threatens to heighten those claims just as he is aiming to rally his party behind his reelection bid.

Even with the new limitations on migration, the border deal faces long odds in Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Friday that, based on what he had heard about the proposal, it would be “dead on arrival” in the House.

Biden’s allies have acknowledged the difficult political quandary the president faces on immigration, an area where he faces some of his worst approval ratings.

Some have pointed to the president’s past executive actions cracking down on asylum, expediting removals of migrants and implementing other restrictions as a sign that he is willing to take the heat from parts of his liberal base to solve the problem.

Still, the surge of migrants from dozens of nations has at times overwhelmed border agents, and images of large numbers of migrants flowing into the country have become a political headache for the administration.

Nearly 250,000 illegal border crossings were recorded along the U.S.-Mexico border in December, the highest monthly total ever.

The border deal also stands as a key pillar of a broader package that includes some of Biden’s most pressing foreign policy goals. Republican lawmakers have insisted on new border restrictions as part of a deal that would approve Biden’s request for billions of dollars in military assistance for Israel, Ukraine and Indo-Pacific nations.

I guess we will soon find out who actually wants to find a solution and who simply wants to demagogue the issue.

[temporal1]

Laws are a joke if politicians ensure that the laws aren’t followed.

Allowing 1.4 million illegal arrivals a year is ridiculous
How about they just start using an expulsion power now for every illegal crossing?

About half of Congress agrees with you. But not enough agree to pass such a law at this point.

The law is actually that illegal aliens are, well, illegal, and the President has broad latitude what to do with them.
The question is why he refuses to simply enforce the laws the rest of us live under.

MSM is marketing the heck out of this “shut down” double talk, i hope all the water carriers are getting a written texted thank you, and 10% discount at .. disneyland. Even msm is putting “shut down” in quotes. Not even close. Not even a slow down.

No shame in “journalism.”

The cartels are running this country. And, they LIKE it.

[Ernie]

Allowing 1.4 million illegal arrivals a year is ridiculous
How about they just start using an expulsion power now for every illegal crossing?

About half of Congress agrees with you. But not enough agree to pass such a law at this point.

The law is actually that illegal aliens are, well, illegal, and the President has broad latitude what to do with them. The question is why he refuses to simply enforce the laws the rest of us live under.

They are not given broad latitude. They must adhere to all sorts of laws including humanitarian laws and laws related to asylum seekers.

Biden requested the following in October and has not been given the funding yet.

The president on Friday also asked Congress to provide the border funding he requested in October, which would provide money for an additional 1,300 border patrol agents, 375 immigration judges, 1,600 asylum officers and improved technology to detect fentanyl.

Some presidents want more personnel. Other presidents want to build a wall.
Whatever is done is going to take money approved by Congress. No President can do what he wants to do at the border due to lack of funding. There have been no major changes to border policy since 1986.

This has been the plight of Presidents for a very long time. They are expected to do a job that does not have sufficient resources because Congress cannot agree on which method should be used to better secure the border.

[temporal1]

From reports described on MN, biden inherited a good situation at the border, he reversed those policies.

That doesn’t reflect, “nothing can be done.”

However, now that NYC and Chicago and others are sharing the problems, i sense things will be done.
i’m sorry it took such a harsh wake up call. Sorry for all.

City folk need to understand this is a country of 50 states.
City dwellers need all 50 states, just as others need cities.

When major cities have suffered disasters, all 50 states generoously come to their aid.
That door needs to swing both ways.

Some presidents want more personnel.

“Welcoming committees,” don’t require budgets that law enforcement does.
They need to stop the double talk. Lives are at stake.