This afternoon, MAGA House Republicans on the House Oversight Committee are holding yet another stunt hearing about the southern border. Despite their posturing, one thing we know for sure is that MAGA House Republicans don’t actually care about solving any actual issues – they just want to use the issue to campaign on and score political points. The very same MAGA House Republicans leading the House GOP and Oversight Committee that have spent months calling for urgent action on the border are blocking a bipartisan agreement to secure the border. And, without a single shred of evidence of high crimes or misdemeanors, the MAGA Republican House Majority impeached Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. It’s clear that MAGA House Republicans’ top goal is not to work on issues the American people care about – it’s to make sure they do everything they can to help get Donald Trump back to the White House in 2024.
SHOT: MAGA House Republicans Have Declared A Border Crisis, Demanding Better Security and Solutions to Address Increased Migrant Flows. Dozens of MAGA House Republicans, from House Speaker MAGA Mike Johnson and top GOP leadership to Oversight Committee chair James Comer and freshman committee members, have spent months declaring a border crisis and demanding urgent action:
-
-
- Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA): “Another 1 million encounters at the southern border since the start of the fiscal year. This is a new record, and the earliest we’ve hit this terrible threshold…the danger and chaos at the border continues to harm America.” [X, 2/7/24]
- House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA): “We need to get our government back, focused on the things that matter to families in America: Having a strong national defense and having a strong, closed border. And we’re going to be focusing a lot on getting this border under control…” [Congressman Steve Scalise, Press Release, 9/27/23]
- House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY): “The border crisis, I will tell you, is the number one issue…” [Elise Stefanik Press Release, 1/14/24]
- House GOP Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN): “This biggest issue is that this is a national security issue. It’s not just that Americans have – politically – have had enough, and they’ve seen what’s happened. But this is dangerous; it’s not just fentanyl, it’s bad actors that are coming across our southern border.” [CNBC, 12/8/23, VIDEO]
- Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY): “Republicans, this is one of our top issues, we’re trying to do everything we can to control the border.” [Fox Business, 1/17/24, VIDEO]
- Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH): “[W]orst border crisis in history.” [X, 2/12/24]
- Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA): “Our border security is the MOST IMPORTANT issue in the country.” [X, 2/12/24]
- Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO): “Millions of illegals are pouring in, causing crime, chaos, and death in our communities.” [X, 2/13/24]
- Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY): “The real solutions to ending the migrant crisis are rooted in a secure border….”” [X, 2/12/24]
- Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA): “The federal government is shirking one of its main duties – securing our border. The risk to the safety and security of all American Citizens is only growing.” [X, 2/8/24]
- Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA): “Criminal cartels have control of our southern border and we need every resource available to restore law and order.” [Congressman Clay Higgins Press Release, 9/23/23
- Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC): “Getting our fiscal house in order, securing the border, and tackling inflation must be top priorities for Congress. Less talking, more doing.” [X, 2/12/24]
- Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ): “[O]ur southern border remains wide open. American citizens are unsafe in their cities.” [X, 2/14/24]
- Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ): “The federal government’s failure to enforce the Rule of Law and secure the border are some of the most pressing national security risks facing our country. […] There is an immigration crisis in the United States, and that crisis is a failure to secure our border and enforce our laws.” [Congressman Paul Gosar, ‘Issues’, Accessed 2/14/24]
- Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI): “We don’t have the people to process the legal immigration that’s coming over because we’re spending all of our resources processing the illegals coming over.” [Macomb Daily, 1/8/24]
- Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN): “Americans know the problems at our border aren’t because of hardworking border patrol agents, but because of our leadership. The uniparty in Washington doesn’t really want to solve these problems, because the problems keep them in power.” [X, 2/8/24]
- Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO): “Fentanyl is flooding across the southern border along with an invasion of illegals…” [X, 2/11/24]
- Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL): “…SECURE THE BORDER FIRST.” [X, 2/11/24]
- Rep. Jake LaTurner (R-KS): “Over a year ago, I asked Secretary Mayorkas if he planned to resign for his failure to enforce federal immigration laws and protect Americans from the invasion at our southern border. He said no. Since then, there have been nearly 3,000,000 illegal crossings.” [X, 2/6/24]
- Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX): “The border is ‘not a crisis anymore, it’s a cataclysm.’” [Fox News, 1/26/24, VIDEO]
- Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL): “We keep calling this a border crisis and I think this is virtually a border catastrophe.” [Yellowhammer News, 1/5/24]
- Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX): “One of our federal government’s few enumerated powers includes providing for the general welfare of the United States. Well-maintained borders are necessary to fulfill that duty.” [Congressman Pete Sessions, ‘Issues’, Accessed 2/14/24]
- Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) posted about “[T]his border crisis and the 10 MILLION PLUS people that are overwhelming our communities…” [X, 2/8/24]
- Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX): “Cloud believes in a comprehensive approach to solving this crisis.” [Michael Cloud Campaign Website, Accessed 2/14/24]
- Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC): “Close the border. Quit wasting money.” [X, 2/12/24]
- Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL): “[W]e need to focus on strengthening our borders…” [X, 1/24/24]
CHASER: At the Behest of Donald Trump, Those Same MAGA House Republicans Demanding Urgent Action Torpedoed A Comprehensive, Bipartisan Border Deal Painstakingly Brokered By Senate Republicans:
- Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA): “I’ve seen enough…If this bill reaches the House, it will be dead on arrival.” [X, 2/4/24]
- House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA): “Let me be clear: The Senate Border Bill will NOT receive a vote in the House.” [Steve Scalise, X, 2/4/24]
- House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) called the bipartisan border deal an “absolute non-starter.” [Axios, 2/5/24]
- House GOP Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) joined a statement reading, “Any consideration of this Senate bill in its current form is a waste of time. It is DEAD on arrival in the House. We encourage the U.S. Senate to reject it.” [X, 2/5/24]
- Rep. James Comer (R-KY): “🚨 Americans expect Congress to push policies that secure the border, and I will not support legislation that fails to achieve this priority. This disastrous border bill by @POTUS & @SenSchumer doubles down on failed border policies & further incentivizes illegal immigration.” [X, 2/5/24]
- Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH): “They put together some ‘bipartisan bill’ that’s only gonna exacerbate the problem because again, I think they intentionally want this to happen…” [Fox Business, 2/5/24, VIDEO]
- Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA): “The Senate border surrender deal is DOA in the House.” [X, 2/5/24]
- Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO): “The Senate just released 370 pages of absolute trash. Amnesty will never be a policy that I can support. Not today. Not tomorrow. Shameful that this would even be considered.” [X, 2/4/24]
- Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY): “Any legislation that incentivizes illegal immigration is an absolute non-starter. The Senate “border” bill is DOA in the House.” [X, 2/5/24]
- Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA): “This bill isn’t a solution to the crisis at our southern border – it exacerbates the problem. #KillTheBill” [X, 2/6/24]
- Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA): “The Senate border bill is weak. It’s not even a step in the right direction.” [X, 2/5/24]
- Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) “No to the absurd senate border bill.” [X, 2/4/24]
- Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ): “The Senate border bill is the worst idea on border ‘security’— EVER. Frankly, it makes matters worse than they already are. It is a disaster.” [X, 2/4/24]
- Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ): “To suggest @POTUS needs new laws to stop the border invasion is a lie.” [X, 2/6/24]
- Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI): “I’m a HELL No on the Senate Border Bill.” [X, 2/4/24]
- Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN): “The bipartisan deal from the Senate immediately gives @fema over $930 million of your tax dollars to import and spread more illegals throughout your communities.” [X, 2/4/24]
- Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO): “I am a firm NO on the so-called ‘Border Security’ bill.” [X, 2/5/24]
- Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) “[T]his terrible Senate deal worsens [the border crisis].” [X, 2/6/24]
- Rep. Jake LaTurner (R-KS): “I am a NO on the Senate Border Deal.” [X, 2/5/24]
- Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX): “All of a sudden, Democrats insist that we must support the flawed border deal in order to ‘solve the crisis’ at our southern border.” [X, 2/6/24]
- Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL): “This poor excuse for a border security bill…will not have my support.” [Yellowhammer News, 2/5/24]
- Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX): “Secretary Mayorkas admits the immigration system is in crisis but refuses to accept responsibility. Blaming others can’t hide the administration’s failure to secure our border. It’s time for enforcement, not excuses.” [X, 2/12/24]
- Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL): “I’m a NO on the Senate immigration deal.” [X, 2/6/24]
- Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX) reposted a statement by Senator Mike Lee calling the bipartisan bill a “fake border bill that makes the problem worse,” further declaring, “No dice.” [X, 2/6/24, Accessed 2/14/24]
- Rep. Russell Fry (R-TX): “This is ludicrous.” [X, 2/5/24]
- Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL): “Any Republican who votes for this will betray the American people.” [X, 2/4/24]
BONUS: Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) Even Admitted Republicans Blocked The Border Deal To Benefit Donald Trump Politically. Rep. Nehls has said the quiet part out loud, admitting Republicans won’t do anything to help Biden’s approval ratings by passing bipartisan border security legislation: “Why would we do anything right now to help him?”
-