The White House's official X account put their spin on the "roses are red, violets are blue" poem for Valentine's Day to call out House Speaker Mike Johnson, to which the Biden administration attributes the collapse of a bipartisan $118 billion proposal that would have addressed immigration policy changes and aid for Ukraine and Israel.
President Joe Biden had earlier emphasized the bill's significance, describing it as incorporating "the most fair, humane reforms" in the immigration system and presenting robust border security measures. He criticized Trump for pressuring Republican lawmakers to oppose the bill, which Johnson claimed was "absurd."
Johnson has dismissed suggestions that his opposition to a bipartisan border deal is aimed at giving Trump an advantage in the 2024 presidential election.
During a CNN interview, Johnson adamantly refuted the notion that his actions were politically motivated:
“We have a responsibility here to do our duty. Our duty is to do right by the American people, to protect the people. The first and most important job of the federal government is to protect its citizens. We’re not doing that under President Biden.”
While denying any ulterior motives related to the 2024 election, Johnson acknowledged engaging in discussions with Trump regarding the legislation. According to Johnson, Trump "understands that we have a responsibility to do here."
The White House took aim at Johnson shortly afterward with the following Valentine's Day message:
"Roses are red./ Violets are blue./ The border deal was crushed/ Because of you."
You can see the post below.
@WhiteHouse/X
People loved it.
The GOP's opposition to the border bill is notable because even the conservative Wall Street Journal observed in an op-ed that the bill "has reforms Trump never came close to getting."
The publication's editorial board called the bill "the most restrictive migrant legislation in decades" and that its provisions include "long-time GOP priorities that the party’s restrictionists could never have passed only a few months ago."
The bill's primary focus is the overhaul of the asylum system in the United States, introducing significant changes to the standard and process for granting asylum. Currently, migrants can claim asylum by passing a low threshold of "credible fear" upon turning themselves in at the border. They are then given a future asylum hearing date and released into the U.S.
The new bill raises the initial border screening standard for credible fear to a "reasonable possibility" of persecution, aligning with a priority set by the Trump administration. Migrants must now demonstrate that they couldn't have sought refuge elsewhere in their own country before turning to the U.S. for asylum. The bill also introduces an expedited review process for asylum.
Additionally, the bill reforms humanitarian parole, eliminating the ability of migrants to register using the Biden CBP One App for free entry at a border crossing and an immediate work permit. While the legislation does not impose a cap on the number of parolees annually, the stricter rules for claiming parole aim to reduce incentives for migrants.
An emergency provision is also incorporated, mandating the closure of the border if an average of 5,000 individuals show up daily for a week. This provision aims to address the current challenges of overwhelmed border crossings. In the event of a shutdown, all migrants will be deported until arrivals decrease by 25%, and border patrol regains control.
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