‘House Speaker’s Reaction to Bipartisan Senate Immigration Bill: ‘Worse Than We Anticipated’
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House Speaker Mike Johnson heavily criticized a Senate bipartisan bill to overhaul the US immigration system and provide aid to Israel and Ukraine, declaring it would be dead on arrival in the House. Johnson, along with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and GOP Whip Tom Emmer, expressed disapproval about the bill’s potential impact on border security. Other House Republicans also voiced opposition to the bill, whilst Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell endorsed it and Senate Democrat Alex Padilla criticized it for “dismantling” the asylum system.
House Leaders Declare Senate Immigration and Aid Bill Dead on Arrival
The Senate bipartisan bill intended to overhaul the immigration system and provide aid to Israel and Ukraine has been declared dead on arrival by House Speaker Mike Johnson. The announcement came on Sunday evening, just hours after the bill’s public release.
“This bill is even worse than we expected… If this bill reaches the House, it will be dead on arrival,” stated Johnson, reinforcing his earlier comments made prior to the bill’s release. The controversial legislation had been in the works for several months in the Senate.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise echoed this sentiment, stating that the legislation, which includes millions in new foreign aid and represents the first major immigration system overhaul in years, will not even receive a vote in the House.
“Let me be clear: The Senate Border Bill will NOT receive a vote in the House…It accepts 5,000 illegal immigrants a day and gives automatic work permits to asylum recipients—a magnet for more illegal immigration,” said Scalise.
Criticism from Other House Members
Strong criticism also came from GOP Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota and GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik of New York. Both expressed their opposition to the Senate bill and its lenient immigration measures.
Elise Stefanik, a former Trump ally, called the Senate bill an “absolute non-starter” which will “further incentivize thousands of illegals to pour in across our borders daily”.
Many House Republicans are collectively opposing the Senate bill, including Rep. Tony Gonzalez (R-TX), who suggested it will take the House months to review the bill in its entirety.
Senate Minority Leader Supports the Bill
In the Senate, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell endorsed the bipartisan bill, expressing his gratitude to Senator Lankford for his work on the legislation. McConnell highlighted the importance of addressing the national security crisis at the southern border.
However, some Senate Democrats, including Alex Padilla of California, have already voiced their opposition to the bill. Padilla believes the bipartisan deal “misses the mark”, claiming it amounts to “dismantling” the asylum system.
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