GOP leaders prepare to advance border plan
- The Republican plan brings back a number of Trump-era restrictions
- Holdouts fear it would block those with legitimate asylum claims
- GOP leadership is moving toward a deal to advance the bill
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(NewsNation) — House Republicans have unveiled a plan to secure the border as border towns brace themselves for the end of Title 42 and a potential flood of migrants.
House GOP Sources told NewsNation’s Joe Khalil party leadership is more confident in their ability to get it passed. Previously, some moderate Republicans had objected based on changes to asylum policy, fearing it would make it too difficult for those seeking asylum legitimately.
Adopted during the pandemic, Title 42 allows border agents to turn those seeking to enter the U.S. away at the border. Set to expire on Thursday, May 11, officials are predicting a surge of people and local authorities are warning there are not enough resources to manage the potential influx.
The legislation is expected to be voted on in committee on Tuesday and be brought to the House floor on Wednesday. There may yet be changes to the legislation, but previous versions of the plan included plans to build a border wall, allowing migrant families to be held in detention longer and implementing a plan that would require migrants to first seek asylum in Mexico before trying to come to the U.S.
It would also withhold federal funds from any organization that helps migrants who don’t have legal status in the U.S.
Some Republicans have objected to certain elements, including a requirement that all employers use e-verify to ensure the status of workers, something that could impact fields like agriculture that rely on immigrant labor.
Other Republicans, including a number of lawmakers who come from immigrant backgrounds, objected on the grounds that the legislation is so strict it would essentially prohibit people from seeking asylum at all and that, without a legal path to entry, migrants would increasingly turn to smugglers. Their concerns included a provision that would require migrants pay $50 for entry and make the requirements for initial asylum interviews more stringent.
President Joe Biden has said he will fight the GOP efforts and veto the bill. It’s not clear if the legislation will make it through the Senate; while Democrats hold a majority in the chamber, Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s absence has made it more difficult for the party to advance legislation without bipartisan support.
The Senate is also considering a bipartisan bill that would extend Title 42 for two additional years, though it does provide protection for those seeking asylum on legitimate grounds.
