What is US Senate Border Security Bill? Donald Trump warns ‘this is a death wish’ for GOP

A $118 billion bill introduced by the Democrats in the US Senate would strengthen border security and provide Israel and Ukraine assistance amidst the ongoing wars. However, the new proposal, which has the support of a few Republican senators, appears to be in jeopardy after House Speaker Mike Johnson criticised it, claiming it is not harsh enough to tackle illegal immigration.

He added that the bill would be “dead on arrival” if it ever did make it to the floor of the House.

Meanwhile, Texas Governor Greg Abbott also slammed a provision in the bill that would prevent the state of Texas from contesting certain of its provisions in a local federal court.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Abbott reacted to a Newsweek article --'Texas Stripped of Powers in Border Security Bill' and wrote: “This is unacceptable.”

The bill lays out conditions under which suspected illegal immigrants can appeal for a judicial review of their deportation orders, stating: "The United States District Court for the District of Columbia shall have sole and original jurisdiction to hear challenges, whether constitutional or otherwise, to the validity of this section or any written policy directive, written policy guideline, written procedure, or the implementation thereof."

Bill Shipley, a former federal prosecutor, called the bill “corrupt”, adding that “This would prevent plaintiffs - like the State of Texas - from filing suit in Texas federal courts.”

Also Read: Elon Musk slams President Joe Biden over border deal amid Texas crisis, ‘Building a wall is…’

What is US Senate Border Security Bill?

US Senators recently introduced a 370-page bill that would offer the government emergency powers to deny entry to migrants crossing the border or to promptly remove those who have already entered the country. Those powers wouldn't prevent US citizens or anybody else with a legal validation from entering the nation.

The proposed measure includes the idea of a trigger that will be activated when the weekly average of migrants encountering with border officers exceeds 5,000. Additionally, the measure offers the president the authority to close the southern border with Mexico in the event that more than 4,000 migrants try to enter the country in just one week.

US President Joe Biden is urging the US Senate to swiftly pass the bill, insisting “this makes the border more secure than it has been in decades”.

“Now we’ve reached an agreement on a bipartisan national security deal that includes the toughest and fairest set of border reforms in decades. I strongly support it,” Biden said in a statement.

What is Trump's warning & do Republicans seek any changes in the bill?

While Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell supports the bill, his colleagues have protested the bill, claiming that Biden has encouraged illegal migration by easing rules that date back to the administration of former President Donald Trump and force immigrants and asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while their cases are being reviewed, Al-Jazeera reported.

Additionally, they disagree with the recent Biden's "parole" policies, which sidestep the established immigration systems by allowing some migrants to enter lawfully for humanitarian purposes.

In a Monday post on Truth Social, Trump warned the border bill is a "death wish" for Republicans.

"Only a fool, or a Radical Left Democrat, would vote for this horrendous Border Bill, which only gives Shutdown Authority after 5000 Encounters a day, when we already have the right to CLOSE THE BORDER NOW, which must be done. This Bill is a great gift to the Democrats, and a Death Wish for The Republican Party," Trump wrote.

"It takes the HORRIBLE JOB the Democrats have done on Immigration and the Border, absolves them, and puts it all squarely on the shoulders of Republicans. Don't be STUPID!!! We need a separate Border and Immigration Bill. It should not be tied to foreign aid in any way, shape, or form! The Democrats broke Immigration and the Border. They should fix it," the ex-US President added.

Meanwhile, Ex-United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley appealed to the Congress to amend the bipartisan border deal, asserting that “we need to fix it now”.

“They need to stay there. They need to figure this out. They need to adjust it, amend it in any way that they can, and they should not leave D.C. until they get us a border bill,” Haley said in an interview to Fox News’s Neil Cavuto. “And no, we are not waiting until the general election to do this.”

Ahead of the 2024 presidential elections that will determine control of the White House and Congress, immigration is a major concern for conservative voters. While Democratic candidate Biden is running for re-election, Trump is the frontrunner for the GOP nomination.

Biden vs Abbott

The Biden administration won a major victory over Texas Governor Abbott in January after the Supreme Court decided 5–4 in favor of permitting the temporary removal of razor wire that Texas had put along the southern border.

The removal will stay in place as long as the dispute is being litigated.

Republicans, who back Abbott and his administration's efforts to combat illegal immigration in the state, expressed disappointment over the decision.

Despite the legal setback, the governor of Texas, a vocal opponent of Biden on immigration matters, declared that the battle "is not over" and referred to the razor wire as "an effective deterrent" in a post on X. In a statement, he also proclaimed Texas' “right to self-defense.”

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