(NewsNation) — President Joe Biden has vowed to shut down the U.S.-Mexico border “when it becomes overwhelmed” if Congress approves a bipartisan border security deal.
“Let’s be clear,” Biden said in a statement Friday. “What’s been negotiated would — if passed into law — be the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border we’ve ever had in our country. It would give me, as President, a new emergency authority to shut down the border when it becomes overwhelmed. And if given that authority, I would use it the day I sign the bill into law.”
The framework hasn’t been formally agreed to by Senate Democrats and Republicans and would face an uncertain future in the GOP-controlled House.
The deal being negotiated in Congress would require the U.S. to shutter the border if roughly 5,000 migrants cross illegally on any given day.
In December, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded multiple days with more than 10,000 illegal crossings. In Eagle Pass alone, officials encountered more than 2,000 migrants per day in December. Additionally, last month set a record with more than 302,000 migrant encounters along the border.
Former President Donald Trump has been pressuring Republicans for weeks to kill the negotiations. He’s loathe to give a win to Biden on an issue that animated the Republican’s successful 2016 campaign and that he wants to use as he seeks to return to the White House. Negotiators had appeared to be closing in on a deal, but it started to fray after Trump’s admonitions to conservative lawmakers grew stronger.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., responded to Biden’s comments in a statement, urging the Biden administration to take executive action. He emphasized that Biden doesn’t need congressional approval to close the border.
“President Biden falsely claimed yesterday he needs Congress to pass a new law to allow him to close the southern border, but he knows that is untrue,” Johnson wrote. “As I explained to him in a letter late last year, and have specifically reiterated to him on multiple occasions since, he can and must take executive action immediately to reverse the catastrophe he has created.”
Johnson continued, listing several actions Biden can take.
“As my letter stated, President Biden can begin to secure the border by ending catch-and-release, ceasing exploitation of parole authority, reinstating the Remain in Mexico program, expanding the use of expedited removal authority, and renewing construction of the border wall,” Johnson said.
Meanwhile, a new border deal could come too late to salvage the relationship between the White House and Texas.
The ongoing battle over federal agents’ access to Shelby Park persists, as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton denies federal agents from conducting normal operations inside the park.
Texas officials are further signaling their stance to the White House by continuing to install new razor wire, despite a Supreme Court ruling allowing federal agents to cut it.
The key question this week revolves around whether federal agents will eventually attempt to enter Shelby Park and begin cutting wire. So far, Texas National Guard troops have held their ground.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
