In a high-profile Friday night address in Rapid City, South Dakota, former President Donald Trump made a compelling case for Congressional intervention to exert pressure on President Joe Biden regarding the border situation. Trump's speech comes in the midst of reports suggesting that Biden is contemplating a plan that would require many asylum-seeking individuals to stay in Texas.
Trump was unequivocal in his stance, declaring, "We cannot afford to wait until 2025 to initiate measures to combat this dire influx." He criticized Biden for undoing the progress made during his tenure in securing the border and urged Congressional Republicans to take decisive action. He called upon them to prohibit Joe Biden from utilizing any taxpayer dollars to release or resettle undocumented immigrants into the United States, starting from the government funding deadline of September 30.
While there is substantial consensus in the Senate to advance spending bills without contentious conservative priorities, the battle over border security funding and policy adjustments is expected to play out in the House of Representatives. Many conservatives have already begun articulating the need for increased border spending and policy changes to compel the Biden administration to take further action.
Historically, Democrats have dismissed Trump's demands regarding border issues, even leading to a partial government shutdown in December 2018 when Republicans included four billion dollars for border wall construction in government funding legislation. Ultimately, Democrats prevailed in that standoff, with Republicans capitulating after several weeks.
However, the current political landscape is distinct. With President Biden's approval ratings at uncomfortable lows for an incumbent seeking reelection and the border crisis acknowledged by many within his own party, as well as by media outlets like The New York Times, Trump's allies in Congress may find renewed energy to push this issue forward.
During his approximately 100-minute speech, Trump emphasized his administration's accomplishments in immigration and border security. He highlighted achievements such as negotiating the "Remain in Mexico" policy and deporting thousands of criminal undocumented immigrants. Trump underscored the construction of nearly 500 miles of border wall and securing Mexico's commitment to provide 28,000 soldiers to assist during this effort, at no cost to the United States. He also mentioned the 200 additional miles of planned construction that were halted by Biden upon taking office.
Trump pledged to promptly rescind Biden's open-border pledges if reelected, but he stressed the urgency of Congressional Republicans taking action immediately. In his words, "The time for rhetoric has passed; now is the time for concrete action."
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