House Speaker John Boehner to Reject All Senate Immigration Reform Legislations if Added to Any Border Crisis Bill
Following Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's, R-NV, plans to add a comprehensive immigration reform bill on any legislation addressing the border crisis, Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, stated he will reject such efforts.
According to Boehner, Reid is "embarrassed" that the Senate Majority Leader can't get senators to pass a "blank check" for President Barack Obama. Boehner added Reid is making a "deceitful and cynical" attempt to interfere with the House's efforts.
"So let me be as clear as I can be with Senator Reid: the House of Representatives will not take up the Senate immigration reform bill or accept it back from the Senate in any fashion," said Boehner in a statement. "Nor will we accept any attempt to add any other comprehensive immigration reform bill or anything like it, including the DREAM Act, to the House's targeted legislation, which is meant to fix the actual problems causing the border crisis."
The House Speaker stated any comprehensive immigration reform legislation has "no place" in trying to solve the border crisis, which has seen an influx of undocumented immigrant children enter the southern U.S. As Latin Post reported, 57,525 undocumented children under the age of 18 and traveling without a parent or guardian were apprehended between Oct. 1, 2013, and June 30, 2014. For 2015, the White House said up to 150,000 undocumented children will enter the U.S.
Boehner said any attempt to "exploit" the crisis by adding comprehensive immigration reform efforts will hit a "brick wall in the People's House."
"Republicans remain committed to addressing the American people's priorities, and that includes passing a responsible bill this week to help secure our border and return these children safely to their home countries," added Boehner.
Boehner's statement comes after Republican senators stated they will not vote on comprehensive immigration reform if it's added to legislation for the border crisis.
Senators John McCain, R-AZ; Lindsey Graham, R-SC; Marco Rubio, R-FL; and Jeff Flake, R-AZ, said, in a joint statement on July 24, that they support the goals of comprehensive immigration reform but "none of us would support including that bill in legislation needed this year to address the current humanitarian crisis on our southern border."
"Any legislation considered this year must be focused exclusively on addressing the current crisis, halting the flow of unaccompanied children crossing the border and preventing future waves from making the dangerous journey north," the Republican senators said.
On Monday, the senators reiterated their stance, stating, "It is obvious that Majority Leader Reid's suggestion that the Senate could include comprehensive immigration reform in its border crisis bill is a blatant attempt to scuttle House Republicans' good-faith efforts to pass legislation addressing the issue this week."
The GOP senators added, "To be clear: Without our support -- which he would not have -- it would be impossible for Leader Reid to add comprehensive immigration reform or the DREAM Act to any border crisis bill this week."
The proposed legislation from House Republicans includes a $659 million budget for the border, which is less than Obama's original request of $3.7 billion.
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