Former President Donald Trump celebrated the collapse of the Senate's bipartisan border security bill at a campaign rally in South Carolina, calling it a "massive victory" for conservatives. Trump had criticized the bill as "disastrous" and rallied Republicans to reject it, while President Joe Biden strongly backed the legislation. The bill failed in the Senate 49-50, with only four Republicans backing it. Biden vowed to hold Trump responsible for the bill's collapse and move to the offense on immigration.
During a press conference, President Biden stumbled and forgot the name of Hamas when asked about ongoing hostage negotiations between the group and Israel. He was discussing a border security bill and was reminded by a reporter of the terror group's name. This incident adds to a series of gaffes made by Biden, including mistakenly referring to French president Emmanuel Macron as Francois Mitterrand and making a comment about having a "code to blow up the world." Meanwhile, Hamas has delivered a response to a proposed ceasefire deal for Gaza, involving the release of hostages, and the United States believes an agreement is still possible.
Senate Republicans have decided to kill the bipartisan border security bill negotiated with Democrats, despite initial support from Sen. James Lankford and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. The bill faced opposition from within the Republican party and is unlikely to garner the necessary 60 votes to break a filibuster. This also means that aid to Ukraine and Israel will be blocked for now. The future of the bill and aid provisions remains uncertain, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer indicating a determination to keep pushing for their passage.
Senator James Lankford responded to Elon Musk's criticism of the Senate border security bill, dismissing Musk's claim that the bill aims to enable illegal immigrants to vote as "absurd" and suggesting that Musk focus on the 2.2 million recalled Tesla vehicles. Lankford defended the bill, emphasizing that it does not allow non-citizens to vote in federal elections and arguing against Musk's assertions. The bill seeks to overhaul border security with tougher enforcement measures triggered by specific encounter thresholds, but has faced criticism from conservatives for being too lenient.
Steve Doocy confronted GOP Rep. Tom Emmer over the party's opposition to a bipartisan border bill, citing support from the Border Patrol Union and CPB chief. Emmer defended the opposition, emphasizing the need for comprehensive reform to address various aspects of border security, despite the endorsements. The debate highlights partisan divisions over national security priorities and the influence of former President Donald Trump on Republican stances.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott expresses outrage over a provision in the bipartisan Senate border security bill that would prevent the state from challenging certain aspects in local federal courts, calling it "unacceptable." The bill includes immigration reforms and $60 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, but faces opposition from Republicans, including former President Donald Trump and Senator Ted Cruz, who argue it doesn't adequately address illegal immigration and is unlikely to pass in the House. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urges Republican support for the bill, emphasizing the bipartisan effort to address border issues.
Fox News host Bret Baier told Senator Krysten Sinema that the recent $118 billion Senate border security bill was "painful to get through" after she stated that she co-authored it, with the bill facing criticism from Republican lawmakers and concerns about potential legal loopholes for illegal immigrants. The bipartisan legislation, co-written by Sinema, Senators Lankford, and Murphy, bundles aid to Ukraine and Israel with border security reforms, committing roughly $48 billion to Ukraine, almost $16 billion to Israel, and $20.2 billion to U.S. border security.
House GOP leaders are facing internal opposition over their border security bill, causing the timing of the legislation's passage to be uncertain. Some Republicans are pushing to remove language that asks the secretary of homeland security to determine whether Mexican cartels are a "foreign terrorist organization," while others are concerned about the impact of expanding E-verify on agricultural workers. The bill includes provisions to restart construction of the border wall, increase funding for border agents and technology, reinstate the "remain in Mexico" policy, place new restrictions on asylum seekers, and enhance requirements for E-verify.
