Speaking at a press conference after leading a GOP delegation to the southern border, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson tore into President Joe Biden and his administration for what he characterized as a “truly unconscionable” situation. The GOP visit to the border comes as border authorities encounter record numbers of illegal immigrants at the southern border.
In fact, the visit by Speaker Johnson and more than five dozen members of the GOP caucus to the border came after border authorities encountered more than 302,000 migrants in December of 2023, a record number for the month.
Speaking about the visit and the consequences of the border crisis in a post on X, Speaker Johnson wrote, “Yesterday, more than 60 House Republicans were in South Texas speaking with local landowners and law enforcement. We were shown firsthand how the President’s reckless open-border policies are devastating communities across the state.”
Continuing, he added, “The Biden Administration’s decision to sue the state of Texas for trying to secure its border is shameful. The first responsibility of leaders is to protect their citizens, and @GovAbbott has shown leadership where President Biden has been an abject failure. The Biden Administration is showing once again it is obviously their deliberate strategy to keep the border open and continue the chaos and humanitarian crisis their policies have created.”
He made similar points in a press release from his office, saying, “At a time when America is experiencing the worst border crisis in our nation’s history, it is unconscionable to hear the Biden Administration’s announcement that Secretaries Mayorkas and Blinken discussed with the President of Mexico amnesty for illegal immigrants. The United States must focus on policies that deter — not attract — people attempting to come here illegally, and the smugglers who profit from the catastrophe at our border.”
He added, “This development further demonstrates the Administration has no real intention of solving the humanitarian disaster and immediate national security crisis their policies have created. President Biden needs to stop vacationing and take immediate steps to stop the flow of illegal immigration into our country. Our nation’s security and sovereignty depend upon it, and the American people demand it.”
In the press conference itself, Speaker Johnson declared that America is reaching a tipping point thanks to the illegal immigration crisis, saying, “One thing is absolutely clear: America is at breaking point with record levels of illegal immigration.”
Continuing, Speaker Johnson argued, after speaking with the immigration authorities and local landowners, that the situation is “unconscionable,” saying, “The situation here and across the country is truly unconscionable. We would describe it as both heartbreaking and infuriating.”
Then, describing what President Biden should have done to deal with the border crisis and what it has been doing instead, Speaker Johnson said, “Rather than incentivizing people to come, the president needs to deter people from coming. Rather than discussing amnesty with Mexico… this administration should reinstate the Remain-in-Mexico policy.” He added, “This is an unmitigated disaster, a catastrophe, and what’s more tragic is it’s a disaster of the president’s own design.”
Watch him here:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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