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The legislative authority of Louisiana, Speaker Mike Johnson, has recently called on the current U.S. President, Joe Biden, to intensify the laws and policies concerning immigration and strengthen border security measures through the use of his Executive Branch powers.
This follows President Biden’s complete reversal of the prior administration’s political strategy associated with these issues during his initial day holding office. As per a letter which Axios managed to examine, Johnson’s main argument is that the incoming daily influx of immigrants illegally entering U.S. territory is putting undue stress on the resources of the U.S. Border Patrol, and needs to be addressed immediately.
In the letter, Speaker Johnson has mentioned the previously passed H.R. 2, a rigid proposition regarding border issues that the Republicans championed over half a year ago. However, to date, Senate Democrats have shown no initiative towards acting on this proposal.
He acknowledges that a bipartisan group of Senators have been engaged in detailed discussions over the past several weeks to land on a common ground, though no concrete agreement has been finalized yet.
Johnson puts forth a series of recommendations for Biden, first of which is reverting to the ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy. This policy, originally introduced by former President Donald Trump, necessitated all asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases were being deliberated upon by U.S. immigration courts.
Another step that Johnson believes President Biden should take involves putting an end to various parole programs. He argues that these programs encompass a large part of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) ‘Catch and Release’ network. As Breitbart News made known, it’s high time this approach saw a shift in direction.
Speaker Johnson also suggests that the stalled border wall construction should promptly resume under President Biden’s administration. Furthermore, he seeks acceleration in the ‘removal’ process, aiming for immediate expulsion of individuals who fail to establish their eligibility for asylum.
Considered among his momentous requests, Johnson puts forth the idea of not granting work permits to those who have entered the country illegally. He emphasizes that the promise of procuring work permits has been a critical driving factor for illegal immigration as the wages, albeit minimal, are typically higher than what the majority of individuals entering the country earn back home.
These work permits, moreover, according to Johnson, are being used by migrants to repay debts owed to Mexican drug cartels. This apparent unintended consequence of the policy potentially enriches nefarious international human smuggling operations, a point of concern that has been further highlighted by Breitbart.
Recently, the Democratic governor of Arizona, Katie Hobbs, threw down the gauntlet against Biden concerning his stance and policies on immigration and border security. She has become one of the latest state executives to diverge from the party line on these issues as we approach the 2024 elections.
Governor Hobbs issued an executive order instructing units of the Arizona National Guard to be posted along the border shared with Mexico. The state is experiencing a critical situation due to an escalating crisis involving the unauthorized entry of migrants.
In her statement, she rebuked President Biden for the escalating ‘humanitarian crisis’ spanning the 2,000-mile border between the U.S. and Mexico. She also criticized his unwillingness to deploy federally-ordered troops to parts of her state that have been enduring a constant influx of immigrants entering the country illegally over a significant period.
Governor Hobbs lamented, ‘Once again, the federal government has failed us in its duty to ensure our borders are secure and the safety of our residents is maintained.’ She claims that her Executive Order is in response to the administration’s inaction to deal with the border crisis. However, the struggle continues for Arizona as it seeks resources and manpower to manage the migrant flow, maintain order at the border and to reopen the Lukeville crossing.
In spite of continuous pleas for assistance, Governor Hobbs discloses her frustration with the Biden administration stating that they have consistently declined to provide necessary resources to Arizona’s border. Earlier this month, she had made demands to the Biden administration to deploy federal troops to assist with the border crisis.
Governor Hobbs highlighted that approximately 2,500 National Guard members currently under federal active duty orders are positioned at the southern border, with 243 of them are already in action in the Tucson Sector. This figure was noted in a report by the Washington Examiner.
In an effort to combat the ongoing crisis, Hobbs’ administration has initiated Operation Secure. The armed forces are set to assist the state’s Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement in enforcing state law in an area plagued by issues such as fentanyl trafficking, human smuggling and analytical support, as per her executive order.
