Speaker Johnson Looks to Keep Momentum Going as He Pushes Border Security Bill
House Speaker Mike Johnson has hit the ground running after being selected to take the gavel from Kevin McCarthy.
Last week, in his first act as speaker, he brought a resolution to the floor condemning the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks and reaffirming U.S. support for Israel.
This week, Johnson vowed to get to work with his House colleagues to finally shore up the country’s wide-open southern border.
Johnson appeared on Fox Business Network’s “Kudlow” on Thursday and expressed concerns that the flow of illegal immigrants into the country may include those who seek to harm Americans.
Host Larry Kudlow noted that even Democrats such as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas are finally admitting that the porous border might be allowing international terrorists into the U.S.
“All of that was completely foreseeable when they opened up the border under Mayorkas’ direction and President [Joe] Biden himself,” Johnson said. “They allowed for this serious situation that we have.”
He noted that FBI Director Christopher Wray warned Congress this week that the bureau is concerned about an increased risk of terror attacks in the country.
“The reality is that the terrorism threat has been elevated throughout 2023, but the ongoing war in the Middle East has raised the threat of an attack against Americans in the United States to a whole other level,” Wray told the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday.
“Well, yeah, of course when you keep the border open and you allow dangerous people to come in, you open yourselves up for that kind of chaos,” Johnson said in response to Wray’s comments on Thursday.
The speaker said Democrats had ignored the border crisis until recently and that he intends to do something about it.
“We’re going to force the issue and I think the American people want us to do that,” Johnson concluded.
Johnson shared a clip of the interview on social media and promoted a bill to finish the border wall, end the “catch and release” policy, and reinstate the “remain in Mexico” policy, among other reforms.
“The border crisis is a direct result of failed policy decisions by the Biden Admin — not a lack of funding,” Johnson wrote.
The border crisis is a direct result of failed policy decisions by the Biden Admin – not a lack of funding.
HR 2 would:
-Finish the wall
-End catch and release
-End abuse of parole authority
-Reform the broken asylum system
-Restart Remain in Mexico pic.twitter.com/8XZdqJih5x— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) November 3, 2023
The bill in question, the Secure the Border Act of 2023, was passed by the House in May on a 219-213 vote.
In a Tuesday post, Johnson called the bill “the most comprehensive border security legislation in decades” and urged the Senate to “take it up immediately.”
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
