Biden's Border Strategy Faces Resistance From Own Party's Progressives And Hispanic Caucus

In a surprising turn of events, President Joe Biden and Senate Democrats are now facing resistance from their party in the House over the proposed border bill.

What Happened: The Hill reported on Thursday that some members of the Democratic Party’s opposition to the border bill, which is part of a larger national security package, is causing a significant roadblock for the Biden administration.

While House Republicans have been vocal about their disapproval of the bill, citing it as too lenient on potential migrants, the bill is also facing criticism from liberal Democrats for being too stringent on the same group. This opposition is firm among the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Progressive Caucus members.

"Everything that I've heard that's in this bill is going to set immigration reform — real comprehensive immigration reform — back 10 or 15 years," said Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), the head of the Hispanic Caucus. 

The bill’s exclusion of key Democratic priorities, such as protections for asylum-seekers and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, has sparked outrage among these Democrats. Many have already stated they will not support the bill if it reaches the House floor.

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These Democrats are also unhappy about being sidelined in the Senate negotiations and are critical of the bill’s policy specifics, which they believe are too aligned with Republican priorities. The bill’s exclusion of Hispanic Caucus members from the negotiation table has further fueled the opposition.

Despite some more moderate Democrats urging their party to accept some border compromises, the Liberal Democrats remain unconvinced. The bill’s policy specifics, such as its approach to asylum and legal avenues of entry into the U.S., are also being fiercely criticized.

Why It Matters: This internal opposition to the border bill is a significant challenge for the Biden administration, which has been under increasing pressure to address the ongoing migrant crisis at the U.S. southern border. The bill is part of a larger national security package, which also includes aid for Ukraine and Israel, as well as humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza and Taiwan.

Just last week, Biden had commended the bipartisan efforts in the Senate, describing the emerging border deal as the most comprehensive and balanced border security measure in the nation’s history. However, this new opposition within his party could significantly impact the bill’s progress and the administration’s overall immigration policy.

The bill’s proposed border measures come at a time when the U.S. is grappling with an unprecedented surge in migrant crossings at the southern border, creating a potential crisis that could significantly impact the Biden administration’s political fortunes.

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