White House says ‘fairest, toughest’ border bill is ‘moment of truth’ for Republicans

 The White House said Tuesday that the bipartisan Senate limits bill provides "a moment of truth for House Republicans," declaring that the way GOP lawmakers vote will "define the legacy of their narrow majority" in Congress. ".

Fox News Digital obtained a memo written by White House Deputy Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor Andrew Bates, titled: "Will House GOP vote with Border Patrol to secure the border, or more fentanyl and Donald Will you vote for Trump?

House Speaker says Senate limits bill 'will be dead on arrival' when it reaches House: 'Worse than we expected'

In the memo, Bates cited the Senate's bipartisan $118 billion border security and foreign aid package. The bill allocates $20 billion for border security and gives the federal government temporary authority to expel migrants when the average number of daily crossings exceeds a limit. The border security component also includes eliminating "catch and release", increasing standards of asylum screening, and attempting to process asylum claims faster.

While it has some Republican support in the Senate, House GOP lawmakers, such as House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the bill would be "dead on arrival" if it reaches the lower chamber and said it would " "Worse than we expected." Republicans say the bill does not do enough to address the border crisis and prevent the release of illegal immigrants into the interior.

"The bipartisan border security agreement is the toughest, fairest, and most important border security legislation in decades," Bates wrote in the memo. He said it has received support from the Border Patrol union, the Chamber of Commerce and others.

Bates, detailing the bill, pointed to more than 1,500 new U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel; 1,200 new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel; Tools to help detect fentanyl and thousands of new asylum officers.

The bill also includes a provision that allows authorities to close entry into the United States at the southern border, but only if the seven-day average is above 5,000 encounters in a day or 8,500 encounters in a single day.

At that time, DHS is mandated to expel all immigrants without processing, except unaccompanied children. That authority can expire only if encounters decline by at least 25% for seven days, and DHS has 14 days to terminate the authority.

However, the President can suspend the authority for up to 45 days, and by the third calendar year, the DHS Secretary is limited to using it for half the calendar year. DHS can invoke the authorization at its discretion when the average number of encounters exceeds 4,000 per day.

GOP senators demand 'ample time' to review border security bill

The bill also accelerates the granting of two-year work permits for migrants released into interior areas; Provides government-funded legal advice for migrants and children; toughened language regarding screening of migrants claiming asylum; Work permits and temporary visas for 250,000 children of immigrants on temporary work visas who are now adults; The limit on the number of green cards has been increased to 50,000 or more per year.

The bill also establishes an expedited path for Afghans who were transported to the United States to obtain green cards.

"This is the moment of truth for House Republicans," Bates wrote. "After opposing Joe Biden signing into law record border security funding every year of his presidency, will the House GOP finally vote 'yes' on securing our border and putting the needs of families above partisan gamesmanship? 'Will you say?'

"Will House Republicans say 'yes' to more law enforcement like the Border Patrol," said Bates, whose union supports this bipartisan compromise, or will they instead say 'yes' to more fentanyl and Donald Trump's insistence that Will politics be delayed in the name of border security?"

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Bates said Republicans have an "important choice" that will "define the legacy of their narrow majority."

"And this is House Republicans' last meaningful chance to stop the president from securing the border, coupled with blocking his comprehensive immigration reform plan from Day One," Bates said.

However, Republicans such as Senators Tom Cotton, Mike Lee, Mike Braun, Bill Hagerty and others are strongly opposed, and there is significant opposition in the House as well.

"I've seen a lot," House Speaker Johnson wrote on Twitter. The law, 'The border is never closed.'

The Speaker declared, "If this bill reaches the House, it will be dead on arrival."

GOP senators rally against bipartisan border deal, citing Biden's power to suspend 'emergency' legislation

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said the Senate bill would not get a vote in the lower chamber. Scalise oversees the program in the House.

"Let me be clear: The Senate limits bill will not get a vote in the House," Scalise wrote on X. "Automatic work permits for asylum recipients – a magnet for more illegal immigration."

Additionally, former President Trump, the 2024 GOP frontrunner, warned Republicans that "only an idiot or a radical leftist Democrat" would vote for a "terrible" bill that would "authorize a shutdown after just 5,000 encounters a day." While we already have the authority to close the border now, that's what needs to be done."

"This bill is a great gift to the Democrats, and a death wish to the Republican Party," Trump posted on his Truth Social. He said that this bill should not be linked to foreign aid.

Trump warns Republicans: "Don't be stupid!!!"

Trump further said, "Democrats broke immigration and the border." "They should fix it."

In a separate post, Trump said the "ridiculous bill" is "nothing more than a highly sophisticated trap for Republicans to place the blame on what the radical left Democrats have done at our border, right up to our At the time of the most important election."