Republican House speaker Johnson doubles down on demand for border security deal in exchange for Ukraine aid

[Calista241]

Source: The Guardian

In a letter to the White House sent today, Republican House speaker Mike Johnson said he would not support further military aid to Ukraine unless the White House agrees to tighten border security.

While Johnson does not specify which policies he wants to see enacted, he refers to the Secure the Border Act, which would require construction of a wall on the border with Mexico first proposed by Donald Trump to be restarted, and limit the ability of asylum seekers to stay in the United States – all proposals Democrats and the Biden administration opppose.

“Supplemental Ukraine funding is dependent upon enactment of transformative change to our nation’s border security laws,” Johnson writes in the letter to top White House budget official Shalanda Young, adding that he first informed her of these demands in late October.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/dec/05/us-senate-zelenskiy-ukraine-funding-biden-republicans-politics-latest-updates?filterKeyEvents=false&page=with:block-656f3dcf8f080d14db794b26#block-656f3dcf8f080d14db794b26

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Lemme get this straight

No deal for aid to Israel like border reform

[Polybius]

2. I would compromise with this

Give them most of what they want for the border, since it wasn't a winning issue for us anyway. Then get more money/weapons to Ukraine. Win-win situation, and Republicans can no longer say that we're weak on the border.

[atreides1]

3. Sure

The Republicans will just attach all kinds of poison pills to the bill!

[Polybius]

6. Don't give them it

Give them most of what they want with immigration only.

[Marthe48]

5. I thought it was bad to tie their demands to the budget

Thought it was better for policy to keep demands separate from the budget, so we don't negotiate with U.S. Congressional terrorists?

[Polybius]

7. Unfortunately, we have to negotiate with them

They control what gets passed in the House.

[Walleye]

4. Promise them the goddamn wall. Their majority will be gone by the time the first brick is laid

They have to spent all their time trying to reverse every thing we have accomplished. Well two can play at that game

[Kennah]

9. A yuge wall. A beautiful wall. Construction to commence once Mexico pays.

[Walleye]

10. Republicans tend to fold when you call their bluff

[slightlv]

8. NO border wall!

It's useless and a waste of money when it comes to immigrants crossing the border. We have high tech means which can accomplish as much and more.

Mostly I'm against any kind of wall because of the harm it does to indigenous wildlife. Not to mention you're either going to build the wall in the middle of the Rio Grande, or cause one country or the other to be deprived of the water it provides. Mostly, I'm opposed to the wall because of the wildlife issues... so I say again, no border wall. These guys somehow have to be dragged out of the 18th century and into the 21st. Mostly, they have to be voted out of office!

[DBoon]

11. The border wall is not only useless

It also makes a statement about what kind of country we are

The wrong statement

"your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore." can just curl up and die - we don't want you anymore

[Talitha]

12. People are cutting Dump's precious wall and walking right through it.

Let's send Johnson down there with a badge and a whistle - he'd be just as effective.

[noclue023]

13. Congressional black-mail by way of drumph's pos wall-

that is falling down by way of footings & shit'y engineering! A good saws all can get through it ! Dredge the Rio-Grand & make it deeper . can't walk across ! Boat's can be spotted easy ! Just a idea !

[Firestorm49]

14. Johnson does not specify which policies he wants to see enacted. GOP dogma 101.

[BaronChocula]

15. Maga Mike Johnson needs to go to the Oval

and get rolled by Biden who knows exactly what Maga Mike can get out of Congress better than Maga Mike does.

[cstanleytech]

16. Is anyone really surprised that the Republican Putin Puppets are putting on another show?