WASHINGTON – The White House on Monday issued a veto threat to a House Republican-sponsored measure to address immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border, days before the end of the Title 42 era is expected. of the pandemic causes a wave of immigrants.
TO Management Policy Statement He said that while the Biden administration supports productive efforts to reform the country’s immigration system, he opposes the Border Security Act of 2023, which he said would worsen «elements of our immigration system.»
The legislation, he said, «does nothing to address the root causes of migration, reduces humanitarian protections and restricts legal pathways, which are critical alternatives to illegal entry.»
the republicans say the bill would address a crisis at the border by directing that Customs and Border Protection hire and train 22,000 border patrol agents and develop a plan to upgrade existing technology to ensure agents are well-equipped and safe. It would also require the DHS secretary to immediately resume construction of the border wall, a centerpiece of former President Donald Trump’s administration. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana, said the House would vote on it this month, calling it «the strongest border security package Congress has ever adopted.»
The White House said the bill would cut off nearly all access to humanitarian protections «in ways that are inconsistent with our nation’s values and international obligations» and make prosecution less efficient. It would do so by prohibiting the use of a mobile app to prosecute non-citizens and by restricting the Department of Homeland Security’s parole authority, he said.
In addition, the White House said the move would reduce funding for essential programs, such as one that provides funds to state and local governments.
«While we welcome Congress’s commitment to take meaningful action to address immigration and border challenges, this bill would make things worse, not better. Because this bill does very little to actually increase the border security and does much to trample on the nation’s fundamental values and international obligations, must be rejected,» the White House said in its statement.
The statement also said the administration believes a «successful border management strategy» must include border enforcement of illegal crossings, methods to deter and discourage illegal immigration while providing legal avenues to ensure that people at the border are not turned away «to face death or serious harm.»
House Republicans unveiled the legislation in late April and it was met with immediate criticism from Congressional Democrats because they said it would go beyond the scope of border security and punish all non-citizens, including legal residents, victims of trafficking and refugees.
The veto threat comes as the United States prepares to lift Title 42, a pandemic-era restriction that immediately removed migrants without an asylum hearing, on Thursday. The policy will expire at the end of Thursday, and the US will once again use national immigration laws and other tools geared towards asylum seekers.
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas visited the border last week ahead of the expected influx of migrants. “The border is not open, has not been open, and will not be open after May 11,” Mayorkas said.
On Friday, Biden defended in an interview with MSNBC his decision to send 1,500 troops to the southern US border ahead of the expected border surge. The president argued that a legislative response was needed and that it is up to Congress to pass an immigration bill.