A heated debate is brewing in the Senate as Republican senators are demanding action on border security. Led by Senator Katie Britt of Alabama, a group of GOP senators will take to the Senate floor on Wednesday to call on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to bring several border security bills up for a vote. These bills, which include the Laken Riley Act and the WALL Act, aim to tighten border enforcement and immigration policies.
The Laken Riley Act, named for a 22-year-old college student who was tragically murdered on the University of Georgia campus, would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain illegal immigrants who have committed theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting offenses. The WALL Act, on the other hand, would provide $25 billion in funding for building the southern border wall.
This push for action on border security comes at a time when Vice President Kamala Harris and vulnerable Democrats are facing increased pressure to address the issue. While they have touted a failed ‘bipartisan’ immigration bill as a sign of their commitment to border security, many Republicans have criticized the bill, arguing it will only exacerbate the situation at the southern border.
Senator Britt, in her remarks on the Senate floor, will highlight the inconsistency between Vice President Harris’s recent statements on border security and the Biden-Harris administration’s policies over the past few years. She will also call on Senate Democrats to stand behind the Vice President’s claims of wanting to secure the border by supporting these Republican-backed bills.
It remains unclear whether Senate Majority Leader Schumer will actually schedule votes on these bills. While he hasn’t publicly ruled out the possibility, his past unwillingness to bring them to the floor suggests he may not be inclined to do so. This standoff highlights the deep partisan divide on border security and immigration policy, with Republicans pushing for stricter measures and Democrats advocating for a more comprehensive approach.
The debate over border security and immigration is likely to continue to be a major issue in the upcoming election cycle, as both parties seek to win over voters who are concerned about the issue.
