President Joe Biden is getting heat from Arizona Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly for failing to present a proposal in his speech to Congress that would address the surge of migrants at the southern border, the Washington Examiner reported.
In a statement, Kelly said he won’t stop pushing for help with “the immediate crisis.”
“While I share President Biden’s urgency in fixing our broken immigration system, what I didn’t hear tonight was a plan to address the immediate crisis at the border,” Kelly stated, the news outlet reported Thursday.
“And I will continue holding this administration accountable to deliver the resources and staffing necessary for a humane, orderly process as we work to improve border security, support local economies, and fix our immigration system.”
In his Wednesday night speech, Biden referenced the issue by blaming former President Donald Trump’s administration for the migrant surge, passing a “comprehensive immigration bill,” and pointing to violence and natural disasters from migrants’ countries of origin.
“Now, if Congress won’t pass my plan — let’s at least pass what we agree on. Congress needs to pass legislation this year to finally secure protection for the Dreamers — the young people who have only known America as their home,” Biden said. “And permanent protections for immigrants on temporary protected status who come from countries beset by man-made and natural-made violence and disaster.”
Kelly, along with fellow Arizona Democrat Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, previously called on Biden to reimburse the state for the additional 250 Arizona National Guard members GOP Gov. Doug Ducey announced he’d send to the U.S.- Mexico border to help local law enforcement.
Speaking to reporter, Kelly said he’s talking to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and the president about the issue, the Washington Examiner reported.
“I think it’s important that we continue to stress that we have a major issue. Folks said the definition of a crisis is different. I look at it as a crisis. We’re making some positive steps. We need to do more,” Kelly said.
“I think it is important for our border states, and I think it would have been a positive thing to hear something at that address,” Kelly added.
There was one member of Congress who bluntly brought up the issue during the speech.
Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., tried to call attention to the surge at the southern border by unfurling a Mylar blanket – similar to those used by migrants in shelters.
“President Biden did not address or bring attention to the crisis at our southern border,” the lawmaker’s spokesperson said. “ So Rep. Boebert did.”
Boebert later tweeted, “Biden’s solution to illegal immigration is amnesty and open borders. Disappointed but not surprised.”
Related Stories:
- Maj. Gen. McGuire to Newsmax TV: Biden Is Not Addressing Border Security
- Sen. Tom Cotton to Newsmax TV: Worse Than Crisis, Border Is ‘Insanity’
Source: Newmax
