The White House statement comes after a week of frantic negotiations in the Senate.

President Joe Biden on Friday urged Congress to pass a bipartisan bill to address the immigration crisis at the nation’s southern border, saying he would shut down the border the day the bill became law.

“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,” Biden said in a statement. “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.”

Biden’s Friday evening statement resembles a ramping up in rhetoric for the administration, placing the president philosophically in the camp arguing that the border may hit a point where closure is needed. The White House’s decision to have Biden weigh in also speaks to the delicate nature of the dealmaking, and the urgency facing his administration to take action on the border — particularly during an election year, when Republicans have used the issue to rally their base.

The president is also daring Republicans to reject the deal as it faces a make-or-break moment amid GOP fissures.

  • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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    9 months ago

    When does it become time to deal with the issues that are driving “hundreds of thousands more people than normal” to come across the border? When do we send troops south to deal with the issues driving people to come north?

    • gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      When do we send troops south to deal with the issues driving people to come north?

      “There are too many refugees coming from over there, let’s turn it into a warzone, those don’t produce so many refugees” like, come on now

      • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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        9 months ago

        I see, so we should just continue doing what we have been doing, and hope for different results. We should just stand by and watch as the situation worsens, as the rates increase, and continue to do nothing about it.

        Like, come on now.

        Yes, any military action would increase the number of refugees. But, we would also be able to establish refugee centers within their borders, instead of our own. And, the increase would be temporary, and eventually lower the total number.

        If Abbott is ready to commit Texas troops to solve the problem, let’s go ahead and deploy them to El Salvador, Guatamala, Honduras, and solve the problem at its source.

          • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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            9 months ago

            Point taken. Counterpoint: What’s El Salvador’s record on nation building?

            What nation has the best record? Let’s invite them to take charge.

    • originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com
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      9 months ago

      never.

      we should gladly accept all decent humans who want a peaceful life regardless… why are you so against adding human beings to our economy?

      • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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        9 months ago

        So, the people remaining in Guatamala, Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico… They don’t have a reasonable expectation of a “peaceful life”? We only decide to give a shit about them if they can figure out how to make it to the US border? “Fuck’em” if they can’t leave?

        • originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com
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          9 months ago

          hahaah wow, talk about moving the goal posts. no one is saying what youre implying. i understand theres more to immigration, but maintain some context.

          this is discussion about immigrants at the US border.

          • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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            9 months ago

            talk about moving the goal posts

            Where do you think I initially placed the “goal posts”, and where do you think I moved them to?

            no one is saying what youre implying.

            Hi, I’m “no one”. I’m saying it. When do we tackle the underlying problem? When do we start doing something about why people are immigrating?

            There is clearly a worsening humanitarian crisis occurring in Central America, evidenced by the increasing rate of refugees seeking to enter the US. When do we address it?

            • originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com
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              9 months ago

              im not disagreeing with you other than the fact youre changing the conversation from 'what should america do with all these immigrants at the border" to “why are all these immigrants at our border”

              2 completely different conversations. but, you do you

              • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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                9 months ago

                What do the immigrants need? To answer that, you first have to ask why they are here. When your conversation finally gets around to asking that question, you’ll be having my conversation.

                Catch up. Quickly, please: people are suffering while you’re fucking around in the past.

                • originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com
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                  9 months ago

                  you first have to ask why they are here

                  no, i dont. my problem is with current immigration policy, regardless of why they are at the border.

                  • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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                    9 months ago

                    You can’t establish a reasonable policy on immigration without asking why people are emigrating. You need to ask why they are coming here long before you consider policy.

    • TokenBoomer@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      So close. What are the issues driving people North? What caused those issues? How are troops going to fight the “climate crisis?”