President Joe Biden supported the bipartisan agreement on the border, after details of the project were released on Sunday night. “It will make our country safer, our border will be safer,” the president said in a statement from the White House.
The bill, which will allocate $20.2 billion to bolster U.S. border security, provides new authority to close the border with Mexico to many migrants when crossings reach a set threshold, among other things.
“It would give me, as president, new emergency authority to close the border when it becomes overwhelmed,” Biden said in the statement. “It will make our asylum process fairer and more efficient, while protecting the most vulnerable.”
The president stressed that the law “will treat people fairly and humanely while preserving legal immigration, consistent with our values as a nation.”
On the other hand, Biden listed what, according to him, this law would allow: accelerating work permits; shorten the duration of visits and increase permanent legal avenues; paid legal representation for unaccompanied minors; and more border patrol agents, immigration judges, asylum officers and “state-of-the-art inspection machines to help detect and stop the flow of fentanyl.”
He highlighted aid to Ukraine and Israel
On the other hand, Biden highlighted that the law will allow addressing two “important priorities” for the United States, referring to support for Ukraine and Israel. The bill, which must pass through the House of Representatives and then the Senate, allocates $60.1 billion for Ukraine and $14.1 billion for Israel.
“As I have said before, if we do not stop Putin’s appetite for power and control in Ukraine, it will not be limited to just Ukraine and the costs for the United States will increase,” the president said. “This agreement also provides Israel with what it needs to protect its people and defend itself from Hamas terrorists.”
But Biden not only mentioned the fight against Hamas, he stressed that the money the law would provide would be used for “vital” humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people.
Biden puts pressure on Republicans
With former President Donald Trump pushing not to approve the bill because, according to him, it is bad, Biden also put pressure on Republicans in his statement, but to move forward with the border agreement.
“Now, House Republicans have to decide. Do you want to solve the problem? Or do they want to continue playing politics with the border?” stated the Democratic president.
“I know we have our divisions at home, but we cannot let partisan politics get in the way of our responsibilities as a great nation. “I refuse to allow that to happen.”
Biden’s phrase about “playing politics with the border” is reminiscent of what was said this Sunday by Nikki Haley, who accused former President Trump using exactly the same phrase.
Biden concluded his statement with a strong message: “I urge Congress to come together and quickly pass this bipartisan agreement. Bring it to my desk so I can sign it into law immediately.”
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