(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., reportedly voiced skepticism about a contentious border/Ukraine bill, citing the mounting opposition from former President Donald Trump and his supporters. They contend that the bill would worsen the Biden administration’s border crisis, viewing it primarily as an amnesty tool.
During a purported Wednesday conversation with GOP senators, McConnell suggested that this controversy might hinder Ukrainian funding. “When we started this, the border united us and Ukraine divided us,” McConnell said, as reported by NBC News. “The politics on this have changed.”
He specifically pointed to Republicans and Trump for the standoff. “We don’t want to do anything to undermine him,” McConnell said of the former president, who is currently seeking the White House in 2024.
The former president openly called on Republicans to oppose the bipartisan border deal, reportedly led by Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz.; Chris Murphy, D-Conn.; and James Lankford, R-Okla.
In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump disavowed any border bill that does not explicitly focus on border security and called on House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to focus solely on stringent border security policies.
“I do not think we should do a Border Deal, at all, unless we get EVERYTHING needed to shut down the INVASION of Millions & Millions of people, many from parts unknown, into our once great, but soon to be great again, Country!” Trump said on Jan 18.
“Also, I have no doubt that our wonderful Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, will only make a deal that is PERFECT ON THE BORDER. Remember, without Strong Borders and Honest Elections, we don’t have a Country!!!” he added.
According to NBC News, McConnell clarified on Thursday that Senate Republicans are still considering such a border bill. “We’re still working, trying to get an outcome,” he said, adding that Trump’s position on border security is “not anything new.”
Other Republicans, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, voiced partial opposition to the bill. “The bill is not designed to fix this problem. … The chances of this bill passing the House are 0.000%. It ain’t gonna pass,” Cruz said, according to NBC News. “This bill represents Senate Republican leadership waging war on House Republican leadership.”
The purported bill came under fire last week when it was reported that part of its provisions increased green cards by 50,000, provided work visas for the children of some non-citizens, and offered work authorizations for some undocumented immigrants in the U.S. The full details of the potential bill remain unseen, however.
Absolutely not. pic.twitter.com/tkXma24r8M
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) January 13, 2024
