House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, led a delegation of over 60 House Republicans to Eagle Pass, Texas, on Wednesday to tour the southern border. The visit was aimed at increasing pressure on the Biden administration and Democrats regarding the ongoing migrant crisis. Johnson, speaking in Eagle Pass, attributed the surge in migrant crossings to President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats, advocating for the adoption of the GOP’s stringent border and immigration policies.
At a news conference, Johnson labeled the situation as a “disaster of the president’s own design” and criticized the administration for not doing enough to secure the border. He accused them of opening the border widely to the entire world. Johnson reiterated the need for passing a comprehensive GOP border policy bill, known as H.R. 2, which was proposed last year, emphasizing it as a crucial step in addressing the border crisis.
The White House responded by criticizing House Republicans, placing the blame on them for obstructing Biden’s proposed immigration reform policies and voting against border security funding. A White House spokesperson, Andrew Bates, stated that Republicans were hindering border security in pursuit of extreme, partisan demands.
The border tour by House Republicans follows a letter sent by Johnson to the president last month, urging immediate executive action to address the border crisis. Johnson called on Biden to end a policy allowing migrants to be released on “parole” without court dates and to resume the construction of the border wall. Despite the White House’s assertion that legislative action is necessary, Johnson argued that the president already possesses the authority under existing federal law to address the situation.
The House Republicans’ focus on the border crisis is evident in their plan to initiate formal impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The House Homeland Security Committee, chaired by Rep. Mark Green, plans to hold a hearing on Jan. 10, citing Mayorkas as the primary domestic threat to national security. Mayorkas has been a target of GOP lawmakers who hold him responsible for the increase in migrant crossings.
The Department of Homeland Security dismissed the impeachment efforts as a “baseless political exercise” and a distraction from critical national security priorities. House Republicans, during their border tour, received briefings from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, met with local law enforcement, and engaged with officials in the area.
The delegation included Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, whose district spans nearly 800 miles of the Texas-Mexico border, including Eagle Pass. Gonzales, previously breaking with his party, has become vocal about criticizing Biden’s border policies. He emphasized unity among House Republicans in prioritizing border security.
Eagle Pass is also notable for Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s controversial buoy barrier in the Rio Grande, and the presence of concertina wire deployed by the Texas National Guard on the river banks. Johnson commended Abbott’s actions on the border, expressing solidarity with the governor’s resolve.
As House Republicans visited the border, Senate negotiators concurrently attempted to strike a deal linking border policy changes to crucial foreign aid assistance for U.S. allies like Ukraine and Israel. The progress of these talks remains uncertain. Johnson and GOP lawmakers have advocated for the inclusion of substantial portions of H.R. 2 in the final Senate package, emphasizing the urgency of acting on their proposed border policies.