The White House announced on Thursday that the administration will cut U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations at the southern border with Mexico because Republicans will not agree to a controversial border bill backed by the Biden administration.
“Because congressional Republicans are choosing partisan politics over our national security and refusing to pass the bipartisan national security agreement that includes significant border reforms and funding, over the coming weeks, ICE will be forced to reduce operations because of budget shortfalls,” White House Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.
“We have asked Congress for additional funding and resources, and every time Congress has provided less than we asked for, or most recently, completely ignored our supplemental request,” Jean-Pierre said.
The strong-arm tactic out of the Biden White House reminded one X commentator of former U.S. President Barack Obama, “Remember when Obama didn’t get the budget that he wanted, so he shut down unmanned national monuments? He even threatened to arrest people for taking pictures of them.”
Remember when Obama didn’t get the budget that he wanted, so he shut down unmanned national monuments? He even threatened to arrest people for taking pictures of them.
— Winter-Wü1f (@Wu1f_603) February 8, 2024
Another commentator was infuriated by the willingness of the president to make things worse for the American people to get a law passed. “Always a winning argument to hold the American people hostage. Republicans should go straight to the poor communities being adversely affected by this and point out which party is doing this to them. No mercy.”
Always a winning argument to hold the American people hostage. Republicans should go straight to the poor communities being adversely affected by this and point out which party is doing this to them. No mercy.
— Mocking SF Values (@Mockingsfvalues) February 7, 2024
“The administration spent months negotiating in good faith to deliver the toughest and fairest bipartisan border security bill in decades because we need Congress to make significant policy reforms and to provide additional funding to secure our border,” a White House spokesperson said in a statement.
House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) said this week the Senate bill is “dead on arrival” in the House of Representatives. Meanwhile, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) warned the border deal would cut Texas out of decision-making about its border with Mexico.
After President Biden returned to the White House Monday from a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada, he did not answer reporters’ questions about the border bill.
