Tipsheet

213 House Democrats Vote Against Securing the Border Hours Before Title 42 Expires

Spencer Brown
Spencer Brown  |  May 11, 2023 5:30 PM

With fewer than eight hours remaining before the expiration of Title 42, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 2, the "Secure the Border Act," by a vote of 219 to 213 — another significant legislative win for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

All Democrats voted against the legislation, as did two House Republicans: Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and John Duarte (R-CA).

That is, 213 Democrats just voted against a bill Republicans crafted to:

  • require President Biden and his administration to restart border wall construction
  • begin using new technology at our southern and northern borders
  • provide funding to hire more Border Patrol agents and pay bonuses
  • increase DHS transparency so Americans know how many illegal immigrants are unlawfully entering their country
  • make existing laws stronger to protect unaccompanied children (UAC) from trafficking and abuse
  • discontinue "catch and release" of illegal immigrants
  • end the president's abuse of executive immigration authority
  • improve the asylum process and make it more efficient

Following the successful passage of the Secure the Border Act, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), and Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) slammed the Biden administration for allowing Title 42 to expire while touting their "action to address the chaos at our nation's borders."

Ahead of Thursday's vote, President Biden formally announced he would veto the Secure the Border Act, even as his Homeland Security secretary sought to blame Congress' alleged inaction for the border crisis created by Biden — one that did not exist during the previous administration's tenure with the same immigration framework and border laws. 

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And don't forget, Democrats controlled the White House and held majorities in both chambers of Congress for two years, during which Biden and his party didn't do anything to address the border crisis other than make it worse. 

"Over the last two years, we have heard from Border Patrol agents, ranchers, families, and businesses who have suffered under President Biden’s open-border agenda, turning every city in America into a border city," the Republican leaders recounted. "Our plan will increase the number of Border Patrol agents, provide effective border enforcement technology, resume construction of the border wall, and end the administration’s catch and release policy," they explained. 

"While President Biden and Washington Democrats continue to ignore the chaos at our border, House Republicans are taking charge by passing the strongest border security bill this country has ever seen," the senior House Republicans said. "The American people deserve nothing less."