US Speaker Mike Johnson
US House Speaker Mike Johnson spoke with President Biden Wednesday about securing the southern border to reduce the number of illegal crossings. As the Biden administration is asking for aid to Ukraine and Israel, Johnson and Republicans are insisting on tougher border policies.
“Before we talk about securing any other nation’s borders, we have to take care of our own,” said Johnson.
Congress must pass spending bills by the 19th to avoid a government shutdown.
Johnson said border security is their top priority in the House and since Biden took office there have been more than seven million illegal encounters recorded at the southern border.
“Billions and billions of US tax dollars are being spent on all of this. On the housing, healthcare, and education, and all these other benefits to illegals. It makes no sense, it is endangering the country with fentanyl and human trafficking and all the rest,” said Johnson.
The Republican said there are estimates that more than 14 to 15 million illegal aliens have entered the U.S. in the last three years, including 312 suspects who are on the terrorist watch list.
The White House has proposed more funding to hire additional Border Patrol agents to reduce the number of crossings. But Johnson said they want a return to tougher policies that were in place during the Trump administration.
“I think finally the White House is coming around. The Senate is, they’re negotiating to try to do transformational policy changes there and that will be good for the entire country and it’s far, far overdue,” said Johnson.
Last week Johnson and other House Republicans visited the southern border to highlight the issue.
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