by Sharon Rondeau
(Jun. 4, 2024) — As of this writing at 10:20 a.m. EDT, Senate Republicans are giving a press conference in reaction to Joe Biden’s anticipated executive action on border security, a step the White House said previously it could not take due to lack of constitutional authority.
The presser can be seen here: https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1ZkJzjbgRbvJv
Sen. John Cornyn (TX) organized the event as indicated by the participants, which include Sen. Marsha Blackburn (TN), Sen. Joni Ernst (IA), Sen. Ted Cruz (TX) and Sen. John Kennedy (LA), among others.
Similar to a twice-failed Senate bill allegedly designed to bring greater security to the southern border, Biden’s executive order will reportedly “temporarily shut down the southern border when daily migrant crossings between legal ports of entry exceed 2,500, with the border reopening when the number falls below 1,500, according to three people familiar with the discussions.”
At 10:25, Cruz was invited to speak as the last participant in the presser. In his remarks, an angry Cruz said Biden, who will hold a presser later Tuesday, is expected to promote the action, which Cruz said would normalize “illegal immigration.”
He said “the White House is just playing a political game” in the wake of the 2024 election.
One more senator spoke, then Cornyn took questions.
When Cruz stepped forward to address a reporter’s question, he decried Biden’s alleged effort to control the border because of the conditions in the executive action, which he said include continuing to provide free legal assistance to all illegal aliens. “This is all about politics,” he said, still angry.
The suggestion of Biden’s possible movement on the border, which according to major polls concerns Democrats, Independents and Republicans nationwide, was first reported on May 23 by NBC News.