Biden claims HIS budget will make the southern border more secure as Republicans slam lax security
The White House believes it has a winning message on the southern border and has begun attacking Republican plans for spending cuts as it takes a more aggressive stance on the issue.
It comes after President Joe Biden has been on the defensive for most of his presidency as illegal crossings have increased.
But now Democratic strategists say the Republicans have offered him an open target by proposing budget tax cuts.
“This is a president running for re-election,” said Brad Bannon.
“They are sensitive to issues that will cause them problems or create opportunities for their re-election campaign.”
President Joe Biden and his administration have gone on the offensive over border security by accusing the House Freedom Caucus, led by Rep. Scott Perry (right), of proposing cuts.
Republicans have repeatedly attacked the Biden administration over the increase in migrants crossing the southern border. On Thursday, a group of migrants was detained after being found in a tunnel after crossing into Sunland Park, New Mexico.
In recent weeks, messages from the White House have made it clear that officials see a way to turn the tide on two years of attacks.
Officials have focused on Republican demands to cut budget spending, which they say would inevitably reduce the number of border patrol agents if the GOP is to keep money for defense and security programs. social.
“The MAGA plan would deny the men and women of Customs and Border Protection the resources they need to secure our borders,” White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt said in a memo earlier this month.
“It would mean fewer agents and less technology to combat fentanyl trafficking, disrupt criminal organizations and stop illegal border crossings.”
The White House has seized on a budget plan released by the right-wing House Freedom Caucus to make its point.
It keeps general discretionary spending at 2022 levels for 10 years, while allowing growth of one percent per year, effectively a $131 billion cut from current levels.
The caucus says their plan would save $3 trillion in the long run, recovering cash from unspent COVID-19 funds and IRS expansion.
Biden says his funding increase budget will make the border more secure, in contrast to the Freedom Caucus plan, which the White House estimates would defund thousands of agents.
The White House has seized on budget proposals from the House Freedom Caucus to attack Republicans over spending cuts and defend Biden’s own proposals.
The White House says the Republican plans would cut funding for 2,000 Customs and Border Protection agents; Republicans question the characterization
‘The MAGA Republican House Freedom Caucus’ extreme proposal would defund more than 2,000 Customs and Border Protection agents and officers and severely undermine our ability to secure the border and combat drug trafficking—allowing an additional 150,000 pounds of cocaine , nearly 900 pounds of fentanyl, nearly 2,000 pounds of heroin, and more than 17,000 pounds of methamphetamine into our country,” the White House said this week.
Bannon said Republicans wanted to do it both ways, tightening border security while cutting spending.
“The reality is that the Republicans are in a difficult situation with the budget,” he said.
“If you don’t cut defense spending, and it looks like they’ve backed off their aspirations to cut Social Security and Medicare, that means cutting the rest of their discretionary spending, including border protection.”
The border and the record number of people who have crossed since Biden took office have provided constant lines of attack for Republicans.
They have highlighted the damage caused by the smuggling of my deadly fentanyl from Mexican drug labs.
And the chair of the Freedom Caucus criticized the attacks.
Migrant encounters in January were at their lowest level since February 2021 after five months of increases in apprehensions. Ortiz said, however, that there have already been 385,000 “leak” calls during fiscal year 2023 so far.
Images like this, when at least 1,000 migrants tried to rush through a port of entry in El Paso earlier this month, have added to the pressure on the Biden administration.
“President Biden suddenly interested in border security to criticize the House Freedom Caucus budget is like an arsonist suddenly interested in fire prevention,” Rep. Scott Perry tweeted.
“It’s more fear and smear from a president who has completely failed to protect the American people.”
Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic strategist, said the issue was a double-edged sword for Biden.
“There are people in the country when it comes to the Democratic coalition, who wanted to be more human about it,” he said. “And then there are the more moderate voters, who will probably be seen in the polls to want a much more aggressive stance on closing the border.”
But the problem cannot be ignored, he added.
“Crime and disorder, and an economy that worries people, those will be the issues,” he said. The border is part of that.
In recent weeks, the White House has repeatedly accused Republicans of wanting to abolish Social Security and Medicare, prompting a Republican escalation.