Former President Donald Trump sharply criticized the newly released Senate immigration bill, calling it “horrendous” and a “gift to Democrats,” Fox News Digital reports.
Trump took to Truth Social, stating, “Only a fool, or a Radical Left Democrat, would vote for this horrendous Border Bill. This Bill is a great gift to the Democrats, and a Death Wish for The Republican Party. 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!!!”
Donald Trump urged not to vote for the compromise agreement on migration regulation in the Senate, which is part of a large package project that includes funds for assistance to Ukraine. Trump wrote about this on his Truth Social social network pic.twitter.com/4ATn8tF1sP
— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) February 5, 2024
He stated that the legislation granted shutdown authority only after 5,000 daily encounters at the border, emphasizing the need to close the border immediately and not as illegals continue to flood over the border.
Trump highlighted that the bill shifted responsibility for immigration and border issues onto Republicans, characterizing it as a “Death Wish for The Republican Party.”
Trump advocated for a separate Border and Immigration Bill, urging its detachment from foreign aid considerations.
Democrats were responsible for the immigration and border challenges and should address and fix them without intertwining these issues with foreign aid, he said.
Following up, Trump labeled the bill a “highly sophisticated trap,” designed to make Republicans shoulder the blame for the Democrats’ actions on the border, strategically timed for the upcoming crucial elections.
The Senate immigration bill, a $118 billion package covering border security and foreign aid, faced backlash from conservatives, with House Speaker Mike Johnson deeming it “even worse than expected” and predicting it would be “dead on arrival” in the lower chamber. Republicans objected to the provision tying border shutdown to a daily crossing threshold and criticized the substantial spending directed towards Ukraine and Israel.
The bill introduced a “border emergency authority” to turn away illegal immigrants, triggered if encounters reached an average of 4,000 per day over a seven-day period, with mandatory closure at 5,000 encounters. This authority could be utilized for up to 270 days in the first year, gradually decreasing before sunsetting in three years.
House Majority Leader Scalise announced that the Senate Border Bill would not receive a vote in the House, citing concerns about accepting 5,000 illegal immigrants daily and providing automatic work permits to asylum recipients. Members of the House Freedom Caucus criticized the compromise, calling it a “dumpster fire” and urging Senate conservatives to reject the “American sellout.”
Let me be clear: The Senate Border Bill will NOT receive a vote in the House.
Here’s what the people pushing this “deal” aren’t telling you: It accepts 5,000 illegal immigrants a day and gives automatic work permits to asylum recipients—a magnet for more illegal immigration.
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) February 5, 2024
Sen. James Lankford, a sponsor of the bill, defended it, stating that the 5,000-authority allowed for a complete border shutdown and deportation, presenting a shift from the current administration’s approach of catching and releasing.
