Bipartisan Senate border legislation that would allow US President Joe Biden to close the southern border “when it becomes overwhelmed” is reportedly something Biden supports.
“If I were granted that authority, I would use it the day I sign the bill into law,” he said in a statement released on Friday.
Mr. Biden begged lawmakers to approve the agreement, calling it the “toughest and fairest” set of reforms yet.
Opposition to the border agreement comes from both the left and the right.
Former President Donald Trump has also pushed Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to approve the agreement only if it is “perfect on the border,” in an attempt to undermine it.
As he runs for a second term in the White House, pressure has been building on Mr. Biden to take action on the US-Mexico border. He’ll probably run against Mr. Trump—who has adopted a strict immigration policy—again in the next presidential election.
Prior to the election, immigration is a major topic of discussion. Voters in Iowa and New Hampshire gave Mr. Trump victories in their primaries in part because of their worries about immigration.
According to US government data, there were an average of over 9,500 migrant encounters per day at the US-Mexico border in December.
Republicans who have conditioned additional aid to Ukraine on a border security agreement have increased the pressure. Republicans in the House have stated that they will not support additional funding for Taiwan or Israel without a border agreement, so approval of additional aid for both is contingent upon a border agreement.
Ukraine senses a crisis at the border with Mexico
The most recent remarks made by Mr. Biden coincide with efforts by Senate negotiators to gain the support of certain House colleagues who have sworn to overturn the current border agreement.
Leading Senate Republicans have pushed for its passage, including Mitch McConnell, the minority leader in the Senate.
“A rare opportunity to accomplish something in a divided government that wouldn’t be there under a unified government,” according to Mr. McConnell.
However, Mr. Johnson has not indicated that he or his associates will sanction the agreement. Mr. Johnson informed reporters earlier on Friday that the agreement is “dead on arrival” in its current form.