During a visit to the Texas-Mexico border Wednesday, House Republicans demanded final immigration policy include changes to the country’s asylum laws and renewed construction of the border wall.
In an effort to ensure Trump era immigration policies, Republicans are vowing to play hard ball.
“We know what works, it’s not rocket science,” said newly elected Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La).
After the spike in border crossings in recent weeks, Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas) compared the border crisis to war, and threatened extreme consequences if these demands are ignored.
“If that means having to shut down the government…do it” said Van Duyne.
The visit comes in the wake of a failed bipartisan attempt to strike a deal before the holidays, leaving negotiations between senators and the White House to resume this week.
“We think those negotiations are headed in the right way,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre.
The Biden administration says it’s prepared to boost security to fix the broken system, but argue House Republicans are being unreasonable.
“They’re talking to themselves,” said Jean Pierre. “We’re in regular touch with Senate Republicans who are at the table with us having a real conversation about a bipartisan agreement.
Much like everyone else, Progressive Democrats are getting frustrated over negotiations.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) says immigration groups and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have been left out of talks, resulting in a fear that the White House could cave to demands of asylum policy change.
“It’ll be more of a border crisis if we get rid of parole and some of the legal ways for people to come into the United States,” said Rep Khanna.
Without House Republicans, a path forward is uncertain and could more broadly jeopardize aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.