Senior Republicans reacted with fury after White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would “be forced to reduce its [migrant] removal operations” after Senate Republicans blocked a bipartisan immigration and foreign aid agreement backed by the Biden administration.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Jean-Pierre said: “Because congressional Republicans are choosing partisan politics over our national security and refusing to pass the bipartisan national security agreement that includes significant border reforms and funding, over the coming weeks ICE will be forced to reduce operations because of budget shortfalls.”
Stating that Congress was blocking much-needed border security funding, she added: “Here is what that means: ICE would be forced to reduce its removal operations, its total detention capacity, and more. When ICE can’t conduct these operations, our national security and public safety will be harmed.”
“Speaker Johnson and congressional Republicans should be held accountable. This was their choice. They have picked partisan politics over our national security.”
Responding on X, formerly Twitter, Republican Senator Tom Cotton accused the Biden administration of deliberately stoking illegal immigration.
He shared a Fox News story about Jean-Pierre’s remarks, adding: “This is blackmail. And an admission that Biden controls the level of illegal immigration. The entire border crisis is by design.”
Read more at Newsweek.com
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