Senate Border Bill Faces Conservative Backlash

Conservative reaction to the Senate’s border security bill was fast and furious.

The Senate on Sunday unveiled a $118 billion bipartisan border security bill that also would provide billions in aid to Ukraine and Israel following months of negotiations.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., took to X to say the bill was “worse than expected” and “dead on arrival” in the House. Others seemed to agreed with his assessment.

“In sum, it appears to be WORSE THAN the current law,” America First Legal posted on X.

“This bill is the worst screwing in the Senate since that Dem staffer filmed his porno on [Minnesota Democrat Sen. Amy] Klobuchar’s desk,” Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., posted on X.

“The terrible $118 billion supplemental worsens the border invasion, incentivizes illegal entry, sends more taxpayer $ to Ukraine, and exacerbates our fiscal crisis,” wrote Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., chairman of the House Freedom Caucus.

“Americans will see which Republicans are on their side based on who supports or opposes this disaster.”

“The Senate border bill is the worst idea on border ‘security’— EVER,” Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., wrote on X. “Frankly, it makes matters worse than they already are. It is a disaster.

“Hard to believe, but this is even more terrible than the old Gang of Eight legislation.”

“Any Republican voting for this Senate America last open border amnesty bill must be paid off by foreign interests and is acting as a foreign agent,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., wrote on X. “What an embarrassment! Shame on them!!”

Congressional criticism of the bill was not limited to House members.

“As to the substance of the ‘border emergency authority,’ it appears to be left to the discretionary whims of [Homeland Security] Secretary [Alejandro] Mayorkas—who, I might add, is currently being impeached for failing to actually enforce existing law,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, posted on X.

“.@POTUS and Dems do not want to secure the border. They caused this crisis, and that fact has been an insurmountable problem in negotiations,” Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., wrote.

“And now that the text of the bill has been released, it appears even worse than we feared.”

Newsmax reported the bill includes provisions that speed up the asylum process, adds an additional 50,000 Green Cards per year, closes border after 4,000 encounters per day, ends “catch and release” and dedicates $650 million to build a wall while billions go to Ukraine and Israel.

“This proposal is worse than we expected,” Mark Morgan, former acting commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, said in an email to Newsmax.

“[I]t’s important to note that while the Republican House was actively impeaching Secretary Mayorkas, the Senate, led by Rep Senator [James] Lankford, was actively working with the Secretary asking him for his advice on the policy changes needed – that’s like asking the arsonist his advice on how to put out the fires he has/continues to start.”

Other critics also mentioned Mayorkas.

“The House is impeaching Mayorkas next week while the Senate will be voting to give him massive discretion to …not enforce the border. Why would any Republican vote for this?” Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, wrote on X.

Former President Donald Trump said “only a fool” would support the bill.

“Only a fool, or a Radical Left Democrat, would vote for this horrendous Border Bill, which only gives Shutdown Authority after 5000 Encounters a day, when we already have the right to CLOSE THE BORDER NOW, which must be done,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

“This Bill is a great gift to the Democrats, and a Death Wish for The Republican Party. It takes the HORRIBLE JOB the Democrats have done on Immigration and the Border, absolves them, and puts it all squarely on the shoulders of Republicans. Don’t be STUPID!!! We need a separate Border and Immigration Bill. It should not be tied to foreign aid in any way, shape, or form! The Democrats broke Immigration and the Border. They should fix it. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”

Democrats, meanwhile, insists the bill upholds the country’s “tradition of immigration.”

“The bill helps fix the border and reform our broken asylum system. But it doesn’t deviate from our nation’s core values,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., wrote on X.

“We are a nation that rescues people from terror and violence.  We are a nation that is stronger because of our tradition of immigration. Period. Stop.”