All eight Republican members of Alabama’s congressional delegation have voiced opposition to the Senate border security bill, claiming the legislation doesn’t go far enough to stem illegal border crossings.
“At every step along the way, President Biden has made it clear that he doesn’t want to end the border crisis – he wants to enable it,” said Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., who said border security was one of her top priorities during her 2022 campaign. “I won’t support this supplemental funding bill, because it would not effectively stop President Biden from continuing his mass migration agenda.”
The $20 billion earmarked for border security in the bill, which also would provide $60 billion for Ukraine and $14 billion for Israel, includes funds to hire thousands more officers to evaluate asylum claims, adds hundreds of more Border Patrol agents and helps stop the flow of fentanyl.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said he is an “immovable NO” on the bill.
“I can’t believe this is the ‘border security bill’ that’s been ‘negotiated,’” he said. “This bill DESTROYS American sovereignty. It will weaken immigration laws for decades and handcuff the next President that actually wants to secure our borders and defend our country. This bill has been crafted to solidify the invasion of illegals into the United States of America. I’m an immovable NO.”
Rep. Barry Moore, R-Enterprise, said he would not be voting for the bill if it came to the House floor.
“The Senate ‘border security’ bill mentions Ukraine 370 times. It sends $60 billion in taxpayer dollars to Ukraine and only $20 billion to our southern border. I OPPOSE this legislation. America First!” Moore said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, adding the hashtag #KilltheBill
Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Hoover, said the bill “would be detrimental to our country,” calling it a “poor excuse for a border security bill.” He said the Senate should instead back the House bill addressing the border.
Rep. Jerry Carl, R-Mobile, said the legislation “does nothing but reward illegal immigration into the U.S.”
Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, said the bill is “dead on arrival” in the House.
Aderholt’s tweet was confirmed by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks, retweeted Scalise’s tweet:
Rep. Dale Strong, R-Huntsville, said the legislation “will not meaningfully improve our border crisis.”
“After reviewing the 370 pages released by the Senate, I am concerned that the emergency authorities are so riddled with exceptions, loopholes, and waivers that it will not meaningfully improve our border crisis,” he said. “For example, the bill creates a new ‘Border Emergency Authority,’ but only allows the President to use it for under nine months of the year, and only after at least 4,000 illegal aliens cross in a day.
“I don’t believe that the Senate proposal even represents incremental progress,” he said.
