House Speaker Slams Senate Immigration Bill as Worse Than Expected

(USNewsMag.com) – House Speaker and Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson is speaking out against the Senate’s proposed immigration bill, calling it “worse than we expected,” adding that it is “dead on arrival” in the House.

Johnson made the statement on February 4th, just hours after the Senate released the text of its proposed bill. On Twitter, Johnson wrote that the bill would not “come close to ending the border catastrophe” created by President Joe Biden.

Johnson is not the only lawmaker speaking out against the proposal.

In a post on Twitter, House Majority Leader and Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise stated that the proposed legislation would not even “receive a vote in the House.” Scalise called the bill “a magnet for more illegal immigration,” adding that the bill allows 5,000 illegal migrants a day to cross the border and gives asylum recipients automatic work permits.

Republican Whip and Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer also spoke out against the bill, stating any deal that “allows for even ONE illegal crossing” will not be taken up by the House.

GOP Conference Chair and New York Rep. Elise Stefanik called the proposal “an absolute non-starter.”

In a post on Twitter, Texas Rep. Tony Gonzalez stated that he guarantees that the House will spend “months” reviewing “EVERY line” of the proposed legislation.

Republicans aren’t the only ones criticizing the bill. Democratic California Sen. Alex Padilla stated it “misses the mark” and that the bill would dismantle the asylum system. He added that the bill is a “new version of a failed Trump-era immigration policy.”

For months, the Senate has been working on the bipartisan bill in order to reach a deal on the Democrats’ proposed $106 billion supplemental funding request, which includes funding for Ukraine and Israel. In May, the House passed H.R. 2, which would restart Trump administration policies such as the border wall and Remain in Mexico. Johnson has stated the House will not accept less than H.R. 2.

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