House Republicans, with some help from a few Democrats, have passed legislation that would bar the Biden administration from using public lands to house illegal migrants while processing their asylum claims.
The measure comes in response to the country being flooded with millions of migrants since President Joe Biden reversed then-President Donald Trump’s immigration and border security policies on his first day in office, which has led to record numbers of illegal crossings.
“The bill, H.R. 5283, passed with a majority of Republicans in support, 224–203,” the Missouri Independent reported, adding that the bill’s fate in the upper chamber is also certain, but not in a positive way for the GOP.
Six Dems joined Republicans on the measure: Reps. Henry Cuellar of Texas, Don Davis of North Carolina, Jared Golden of Maine, Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Mary Peltola of Alaska, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington.
“It’s dead on arrival in the U.S. Senate, where Democrats hold a slim majority, and many Democrats criticized the bill as a messaging tactic for the 2024 elections, where hard-line immigration policies are the cornerstone of the GOP platform,” the outlet added.
House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) declared: “The mission of the National Park Service is to conserve the natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment of future generations, not bail out the failed border policies of the Biden administration.”
The outlet noted further:
The push for the bill comes after the Biden administration granted New York City officials’ request to build temporary housing and facilities for migrant families at Floyd Bennett Field in southeastern Brooklyn.
The bill prohibits this type of action from land under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Forest Service.
It also revokes a 2023 lease between the National Park Service and New York City to use portions of the Gateway National Recreation Area to provide housing for migrants.
The chaos along the country’s southwestern border caused by Biden’s reversal of Trump’s policies isn’t just marked by a dramatic rise in illegal crossings. Smuggling of deadly fentanyl has also risen dramatically, though the government says most of the illicit trafficking of the dangerous drug comes through established ports of entry.
