House Speaker Mike Johnson blasted President Joe Biden and Democrats and accused them of engaging in semantics when it comes to getting serious about enforcing U.S. immigration and border security laws after a visit to Eagle Pass, Texas, on Wednesday.
In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, the Louisiana Republican took a verbal shot at Biden’s claim earlier this week to a reporter that he could improve border security if the GOP-controlled House provided the administration with additional funds.
“When President Trump entered the Oval Office, he put in the “remain in Mexico” policy. He ended the “catch and release” policy. He did the fundamental common sense things that stem the flow,” Johnson said.
“It was down to a tiny fraction of what it is right now. Jake, 302,000 encounters at the border in December alone, it’s the highest number in history. And it’s going to continue because they’re showing no inclination at all to change it. They have rolled out the welcome mat,” he continued.
“By the way, this is costing American taxpayers billions and billions of dollars to house and feed and educate and give health care to all these illegals,” he noted further.
“If you’re from one of these poor countries, why would you not make the journey? Why would you not submit your children to that dangerous journey? We don’t know what’s happening to them on the way,” Johnson continued. “This is a humanitarian crisis. We walked through the centers today, Jake. It would make the average American citizen cry to see what’s happening here. And it must stop.”
Tapper responded: “Right, which is why some people are saying, why not pass the $14 billion supplemental bill that President Biden has put before you to at least try to help with some of these issues?”
House Speaker Mike Johnson schools CNN's Jake Tapper on what's happening at the border after the host was intentionally pushing the falsehood that 'more money' will solve the illegal immigration problem.
It's not a 'money' issue. It's a Biden open-border policy issue. pic.twitter.com/gw74X9pHk5
— USA Features Media (@UsaFeatures) January 5, 2024
“That won’t solve — that won’t solve any of the problems I just articulated. It won’t do a darn thing, no,” Johnson insisted.
“Well, I’m sure the people, the Border Patrol agents that you’re with, think it might do something at least in terms of making their job a little easier for the next month,” Tapper replied, which led Johnson to say that, no, Border Patrol agents weren’t asking for funds.
“They don’t want $14 billion?” Tapper asked incredulously.
“No, no, I just quoted to the deputy chief of U.S. Border Patrol. And he said he doesn’t need more buckets. In other words, he doesn’t need more personnel to handle the flow. He needs to turn the flow off. That’s what we’re talking about,” Johnson said.
“This is not about sending more money down here. It’s about changing the policy, and the White House seems not to understand that,” he added.
