In a recent discussion on MSNBC highlighted by the Congressional Integrity Project, California Democratic Rep. Nanette D. Barragán lambasted Republicans in Congress for rejecting a possibility of massively increasing resources for border security while also trying to hype up claimed problems there in ostensible search of a solution.
She was referring specifically to funding proposals made by the Biden administration. A presidential team’s ambitions for funding must go through Congress, and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, has blasted the possibility of moving forward with $14 billion proposed by the president’s team to help deal with the border.
“Let’s remember, Republicans have said no to what? Thousands of Border Patrol agents, money at the southern border,” Barragán said. “Mayorkas is asking for this money along with the president, and Republicans have said no. How do you impeach a Cabinet Secretary who is asking you for resources to address the southern border, and you are saying no because you want a political campaign issue?”
Republicans are moving forward with what could become the impeachment of Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, though there is no particular indication that such an impeachment would go absolutely anywhere in the Senate, which remains under Democratic control and where a large majority’s assent is required to actually enact particularly serious consequences.
The president himself also recently highlighted some of what his team had been seeking from Congress, where negotiations over a prospective legislative deal on border security extending beyond additional funding have been ongoing. “Further, Congress needs to finally provide the funding I requested in October to secure the border. This includes an additional 1,300 border patrol agents, 375 immigration judges, 1,600 asylum officers, and over 100 cutting-edge inspection machines to help detect and stop fentanyl at our southwest border,” Biden said last week. House Republicans also already rebuffed some possibilities associated with the Senate’s border policy negotiations, so it’s a tough sell on that front as well.
.@RepBarragan: Let’s remember, Republicans have said no to thousands of border patrol agents and money at the southern border. How do you impeach a cabinet secretary who is asking you for resources to address the southern border, and you are saying no because you want a political… pic.twitter.com/3f9ilhinjX
— Congressional Integrity Project (@usintegrityorg) January 28, 2024
