Speaker Johnson cheers on Senate border deal’s potential demise: 'We welcome it'

 House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday that House Republicans "welcome" the Senate filibuster on border security and supplemental aid bills.

Johnson has made no secret of his opposition to the bipartisan agreement, and has declared it "dead on arrival" several times since its release on Sunday night, including at House GOP leaders' regular weekly press conference.

The speaker said, "Republicans cannot in good conscience vote for the bill, and that's why I declared it dead on arrival. And it looks like it may be in some jeopardy now that it's in the Senate." "Could be on life support." ,

"We welcome that development, because this is an issue that needs to be addressed in a way that...really solves the problem."

Democrats have accused Republicans of backing down on their request for border policy changes in exchange for supporting aid to Ukraine. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Said that GOP opposition to the deal, especially in the Senate, "marks a dramatic change in Republican thought."

He also accused the House GOP of opposing the deal because former President Trump was also against it, which Johnson has denied.

Johnson appeared to attack those allegations on Tuesday, beginning his press conference by referencing specific points of the 370-page bill that he opposed.

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The Speaker said, "I would like to give you some quotes from our numerous concerns regarding the Bill in the form it was sent to us."

"For example, on page 321, the bill expands work authorizations for illegal aliens, endangers the wages of American workers, and also serves as another magnet for illegal immigration. It's an attraction factor. You don't want to tell people around the world come and cross the border, we'll give you jobs. And by the way, we'll put most of you on public assistance so the American taxpayers will have to feed, clothe, and educate you. To spend billions and billions of dollars ... that's not a message that's helpful to send around the world."

He added, "On page 116 of the bill, it supports the Biden administration's catch-and-release policy by allowing illegals to be released from fiscal physical custody, quote unquote...shutdowns in the bill. The authority, you know, you've heard some things said about it, but there are a lot of flaws in it. You probably haven't heard that part. It tells Secretary Mayorkas, who is, of course, one of the chief architects of the catastrophe. One of the things we're all dealing with is the right to weaken it."

Meanwhile, Schumer prepared a cloture vote on the package for Wednesday, and at least 25 senators, including three Democrats, have vowed to vote against the proposal.