We were surprised last week when we read the headline that President Joe Biden was ready to immediately shut down the U.S.-Mexico border if he were given a bill to sign that gave him the emergency authority to do so. Plenty of people, including Elon Musk, reminded the president that he doesn't need a bill to shut down the border — he has the constitutional authority (and duty). The bill Biden is ready to sign is the Senate's bipartisan bill that would allow 5,000 illegal immigrants a day, or 1.8 million a year, to cross over into the United States forever.
Sen. Ted Cruz called the bill "a kamikaze plane in a box canyon with no exits headed for a train wreck." Rep. Byron Donalds reminded everyone Monday that the House passed its border control bill 263 days ago.
So while the headlines crow about Biden announcing he'll shut down the border if the Senate bill passes, reporters asked White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre what he meant by shutting down the border. It's complicated …
.@PressSec: “There are different definitions, right, of what that looks like of what actually shutting down the border looks like, right?”
— Chad Gilmartin (@ChadGilmartinCA) January 29, 2024
It’s clear that the Biden administration doesn’t want to actually secure the border. pic.twitter.com/SNCYVaeB3U
No, there’s only ONE.
— MP (@MBP7878) January 29, 2024
She repeatedly refused to explain what Biden meant when he said he will “shut down” the border https://t.co/a4mnu7xlIN
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) January 29, 2024
Americans want to hear numbers from Biden.
— Andrea E (@AAC0519) January 29, 2024
And we don't want to see 5,000 a day, as if that were some sort of compromise. There were more than 300,000 crossings in December, a new monthly record.
Guess that answer wasn't written in her book, so she had to wing it. All of us know what "shut down" means.
— Gregdude 🇺🇸 🎗 (@cynicalgregdude) January 29, 2024
History shows they aren’t one for sticking to the rules.
— TK-421 (@jgoodman9) January 29, 2024
"Depends on what the meaning of the word is is"
— Eddie from Acworth (@eddiemattingly) January 29, 2024
Right? Right? Right? Have you ever listened to anyone with such an annoying habit of insecurity?
— Steve Dockman (@SteveDockman2) January 29, 2024
Shutting down the border means no one gets in without proper documentation. Period. Not complicated @PressSec
— DMC (@DMC11602965) January 29, 2024
There aren't different definitions. Establish a secure border and maintain it so that illegals cannot cross. There. Done.
— Pinstripes for Life (@Pinstripes4Life) January 29, 2024
Biden isn't going to close down the border. Like Dems did to Reagan, they will get what they want, then refuse to do what they promised to do.
— Geoffrey Chaucer (@Fongistan) January 29, 2024
Omg! Get rid of this useless mouthpiece. It's either SHUT DOWN OR NOT.
— Loyal (@RhondaM85402170) January 29, 2024
Perfect example why Republicans would be absolute fools to sign onto a border deal with Biden
— Jim (@Bassangler1899) January 29, 2024
Any border "shutdown" authority that ALLOWS even one illegal crossing is a non-starter. Thousands each day is outrageous. The number must be ZERO.
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) January 29, 2024
Definitions change during election years, such as "shutting down the border" meaning allowing in 1.8 million illegal immigrants a year. How is that shutting down anything? It doesn't shut down the border, it doesn't secure the border, it does nothing but more of the same.
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