House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) revealed to the New York Post that Republican legislators, in the year-end funding battles, plan to use their influence to counteract the trend of Democratic cities deviating from federal immigration laws.
These cities, often referred to as “sanctuary cities” by Democrats, choose not to enforce certain federal immigration laws, providing safe havens for undocumented migrants.
This deviation is argued to contribute to increased crime against American citizens and economic challenges, such as reduced wages and higher rents.
Johnson emphasized the GOP’s stance against sanctuary city policies, driven by Democratic requests for $5 billion in taxpayer funds to cover the expenses incurred by these cities in housing illegal migrants.
He finds it “unconscionable” that cities maintain sanctuary status and then seek federal assistance.
The House Speaker also held President Joe Biden’s border chief, Alejandro Mayorkas, accountable for the perceived harm caused by the surge in illegal migrants.
Johnson criticized Mayorkas’ policies, connecting them to issues like the rise in apprehensions at the border, a surge in fentanyl-related deaths, and increased human trafficking.
Johnson said, “What he has done is just inexcusable because these are policy decisions. His flood is terribly destructive to our country in so many ways. Six million people-plus have been apprehended at the border, 1.7 million getaways. Fentanyl has just led to an absolute catastrophe; the leading cause of death is overdoses for Americans aged 18-49, human trafficking, enriching the cartels, it goes on and on and on. And all of that traces back to their policy decisions.”
House Speaker Johnson’s coalition of Republican lawmakers has been progressing in advocating for the GOP’s immigration stabilization bill, H.R. 2.
The Senate’s traditional Republican leadership has supported modest changes to immigration policy, influenced by House Republicans during budget discussions.
Despite Democratic resistance to significant alterations, they are aware that Secretary Mayorkas’ approach to immigration could impact the electoral prospects of Democrats, even in strongly Democratic states.
Recent polls revealing immigration as a top concern for Republican voters and majority support for a border wall in swing states further amplify Johnson’s influence.
Since 2021, Mayorkas has utilized catch-and-release exemptions to admit around six million undocumented individuals from southern regions into the U.S., alongside at least four million legal immigrants and visa workers. The ongoing immigration debate remains a focal point in shaping policies and influencing public opinion.
