Biden Secures Borders, But Not Ours

Don’t be mistaken, Biden knows how to secure a border, he’s just refusing to secure our southern border.

In the recent enactment of a sweeping spending bill by Congress, alongside President Biden’s approval, a longstanding pattern of allocating substantial funds for border security in various Middle Eastern nations persists. This decision unfolds against the backdrop of an ongoing debate concerning the most effective strategies to fortify the United States’ border.

Within the $1.2 trillion package, encompassing allocations for defense, homeland security, and other governmental sectors, lies a provision earmarking $380 million, slated to remain accessible until September 2025. These funds are designated to reimburse Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, and Oman for bolstering their border security measures, with Jordan alone receiving $150 million.

This allocation echoes similar inclusions in previous omnibus budgets, drawing criticism from some Republicans who perceive it as extravagant, especially as debates rage over the prudence of investing in border walls and comparable initiatives along the U.S. southern border.

Representative Steve Scalise, R-La., expressed his discontent, emphasizing the irony of prioritizing foreign border security while impeding efforts to fortify domestic borders. Despite bipartisan support securing its passage in Congress and averting a government shutdown, the spending package elicited significant opposition from conservative quarters.

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., went as far as filing a motion to remove Representative Mike Johnson, R-La., from his position as House speaker, citing betrayal of the House GOP Conference’s trust by facilitating the legislation’s passage.

This funding allocation emerges amidst an unprecedented migrant crisis at the southern border, marked by record-breaking migrant encounters in February. Yet, Congress remains deadlocked on strategies to address border security and regulate migrant influxes.

The Biden administration advocates for a bipartisan border funding bill negotiated earlier in the year, encompassing provisions for increased staffing, technological upgrades, financial support for NGOs and migrant-receiving communities, and a temporary mechanism to curb entries should daily migrant encounters exceed 5,000. Conversely, conservatives argue that such measures would further normalize already excessive levels of illegal immigration.

While acknowledging the magnitude of the hemisphere-wide crisis, the administration and Democrats stress the urgent need for funding and systemic reforms to mend the broken immigration system. In contrast, Republicans attribute the crisis to the Biden administration’s dismantling of successful policies from the Trump era, such as border wall construction, the Remain-in-Mexico policy, and broader interior enforcement measures.

In response, House Republicans have advanced their own legislation, H.R. 2, aimed at beefing up border security and overhauling asylum procedures. This bill includes provisions for additional funding, including the resumption of border wall construction, alongside reforms intended to drastically curtail entries into the U.S. interior.