As the crisis along the U.S. southern border continues, congressional Republicans and Democrats continue to blame one another for the mass migration or the "border crisis." The issue of illegal immigration is arguably the biggest concerning Americans next to the economy, and candidates for elective office are jumping at the opportunity to blame their respective opponents, including former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D), who blames Senator Rick Scott (R) for being part of the reason for the crisis to begin with.
Earlier this year, Mucarsel-Powell stated," The crisis at the border is on Rick Scott," referring to the opposition to a bipartisan immigration Senate bill by Sen. James Lankford (R), a measure Senate Republicans deemed as being "amnesty" for illegal immigrants.
House Republicans killed the measure in the lower chamber in February. Since then, Democrats have tried to put the full blame on the border crisis on Republicans for rejecting the legislative measures, but the border crisis began long before Republican lawmakers voted against both the House and Senate immigration bills.
While the U.S. has always faced illegal immigration, the "crisis" really began when President Biden took office.
Republicans blame the "Biden Border Crisis" on the president because he all-but welcome illegal immigrants to "surge the border."
During a 2018 Democratic Presidential primary debate, then-candidate Biden stated,"I would (as President) in fact make sure that we immediately surge the border, all those people who are seeking asylum, they deserve to be heard."
The crisis at the border is on Rick Scott for playing politics and blocking ANY funding for border security. https://t.co/pNfOfGdnZP
— Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (@DebbieforFL) April 5, 2024
In January of this year, and after years of denying there was a illegal immigration problem, President Joe Biden finally admitted, confirmed that there was an immigration crisis a the border with Mexico.
“No, it’s not,” Biden said to reporters during a White House press conference when asked if the border was secured.
“I believe we need significant policy changes at the border, including changes in our asylum system to ensure that we have the authorities we need to control the border. I’m ready to act,” added President Biden.
President Biden acted, but waited 5 months.
Biden's delay in attempting to close the steady flow of illegal immigrants from entering the country was met with stiff opposition from Republicans, including Senator Marco Rubio, who argued that Biden could have asserted his presidential power to seal the border months, years ago.
"On the day he took over, [Biden] repealed them, in addition to announcing he would not be deporting anybody, and all he has to do is go back to that, but now he is trapped because to do that would be to admit that Trump was right," said Sen. Rubio.
In early June, Biden signed and executive order tightening a noose around the border, but Republicans believe it was a little too late. Even House Democrats have said that they would have liked for the president to have act sooner.
Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to visit the border within the coming days.
