President Joe Biden is urging governors to use their influence to push their federal representatives to revive the bipartisan border deal that was unsuccessful in Congress.
Republicans are refusing his plea.
“The sales pitch occurred,” remarked North Dakota Governor, Doug Burgum, the following day during the National Governors Association’s winter conference. “I’m uncertain if anyone’s perspective was altered.”
During a meeting with a bipartisan group of governors at the White House on Friday, President Biden expressed his intention to address the issue of border crossings at the southern border. He shared that he is currently exploring possible executive actions to curb these crossings. However, he also acknowledged that he may encounter legal challenges along the way.
He urged governors to exert pressure on their congressional delegations to revive the border bill that a group of senators from both parties had spent months negotiating. However, the bill collapsed within 48 hours of its release. Furthermore, he expressed his disappointment with Republicans for derailing the deal due to opposition from former President Donald Trump.
Democratic governors swiftly responded to Biden’s request.
“I believe it is crucial for Republicans to join Democrats in acknowledging the importance of border security and taking action to secure the border and regulate immigration, rather than allowing the current state of chaos,” expressed Colorado Governor Jared Polis during a brief interview at the NGA meeting. Polis’s state of Colorado has been facing challenges due to a significant increase in migrants arriving in Denver.”
“He said there is a chance to urge Congress to take action.”
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, one of the Republican governors who recently visited the border crossing at Eagle Pass, Texas, to express concerns about President Biden’s approach to immigration issues, maintains his belief that executive action can effectively address border control.
Gianforte expressed his deep disappointment with the meeting held at the White House with Biden and administration officials. He reiterated that there are numerous actions President Biden could take to enhance border security, but he is choosing not to act.
Gianforte proudly handed Biden a copy of the 10-point border security plan that Republicans had initially submitted to his administration more than two years ago. The plan emphasized the urgent need to put an end to the practice of catch and release, among other important measures.
Gianforte mentioned that Biden did not respond to the initial letter. However, on Friday, Biden stated that he would read it. Gianforte acknowledged Biden’s statement and expressed his trust in his word.
According to him, “Joe Biden must fulfill his responsibilities.”
Stitt mentioned that they only received a few excuses.
Biden did not provide specific details to governors regarding the executive actions he intended to take, according to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican and chair of the National Governors Association. Cox informed reporters that the president is currently collaborating with his attorneys to gain a better understanding of which executive actions would be legally binding and constitutional.
According to Cox, the president expressed his frustration with the lack of satisfactory answers from attorneys, which hindered him from taking the desired actions.
According to a previous report by POLITICO, the Biden administration is considering utilizing a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act to prevent migrants from seeking asylum outside designated U.S. ports of entry. This proposal aims to address the issue of illegal border crossings by linking the directive to a specific threshold of unauthorized entries.
According to Cox, the president has the ability to take further action at the border to enforce the existing laws.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, while advocating for President Biden to take executive action on the border, has expressed his opposition to Biden’s proposal to limit the ability of migrants to seek asylum after crossing the border illegally.
Idaho Governor Brad Little, a Republican, expressed skepticism in a brief interview at NGA about President Biden’s ability to expedite the timeline for asylum cases, aiming to reduce it to months instead of years. Little questioned whether this can be achieved solely by granting asylum officers new authority, suggesting that the addition of more immigration judges may be necessary.
According to Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, there are individuals from both the Democratic and Republican parties who are eager to find a solution to the border crisis. Despite the public display of partisan calls for President Biden to take executive action, Governor Beshear believes that there is a shared understanding that Congress cannot simply remain inactive.
Tim Walz, the Democratic governor of Minnesota, expressed his concerns about Republican lawmakers in states where they refuse to vote for the border bill. In his own words, he stated, “I would be nervous if I were running as a Republican in such a state, because we’re going to hold them accountable for not addressing these issues. They can’t deny that these are the necessary fixes.”
During a roundtable hosted by the Democratic Governors Association, Walz shared an anecdote about his visit to the White House. He recalled asking the Republican governors in attendance which aspects of the bill they disagreed with and who would support it.
He stated that there was no response.
Democratic North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper remains optimistic that the legislation has the potential to be approved.
According to Cooper, there have been instances where significant legislation has been revived over the years. He believes that if governors from both the Republican and Democratic parties come together and acknowledge the importance of this legislation for national security and the well-being of the citizens in their respective states, it could have a strong impact.