A little more than a dozen House Democrats broke ranks and assisted Republicans in passing a resolution on Tuesday denouncing President Joe Biden‘s immigration policies and urging him to take action in lieu of a congressional fix.
Fourteen Democrats joined with all 212 voting Republicans in approving the resolution. Another 193 Democrats voted against the resolution. Thirteen members, including seven Republicans and six Democrats, did not vote.
The 14 defectors included Reps. Don Davis (D-NC), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Yadira Caraveo (D-CO), Angie Craig (D-MN), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Jared Golden (D-ME), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Greg Landsman (D-OH), Susie Lee (D-NV), Frank Mrvan (D-IN), Mary Peltola (D-AK), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), and Eric Sorense (D-IL).
Provisions in the resolution fault Biden and his administration for creating the “worst border security crisis in the Nation’s history” and paving the way for millions of illegal immigrants. It also lists a number of authorities Biden should use, such as ending catch-and-release and entering into asylum cooperative agreements, as the president defers to Congress for a solution.
“The current state of our nation’s border security is unsustainable,” said Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-TX), who authored the resolution. “The policies put forth by the Biden administration have resulted in the worst border security crisis in our nation’s history, endangering our communities and straining our resources.”
Cruz said the resolution “underscores the urgent need for the Biden administration to take decisive action to address the crisis at our border.” She added, “We urge the administration to immediately begin utilizing the authorities available to them to regain control of the situation and protect the interests of the American people.”
The resolution is the latest in a series of measures designed to rebuke the Biden administration over its handling of the border crisis that have garnered bipartisan support.
In late January, 56 Democrats helped Republicans pass legislation that sought to establish new penalties for individuals who engage in high-speed vehicle chases while fleeing Border Patrol agents within 100 miles of the border. A couple weeks before that, 14 Democrats joined with Republicans in voting to denounce the Biden administration’s “open-borders policies.”
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The GOP-led House passed a border security bill last year that sought to restrict access to asylum, among other provisions, but the Democrat-controlled Senate refused to take up what Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) dismissed as “partisan right-wing demands.” And, after months of negotiations, a bipartisan immigration deal fell apart in the Senate last month.
Cueller, who represents a border district, announced earlier on Tuesday that he was leading a group of 26 House Democrats to urge Congress to pass bipartisan legislation to tackle the issue.
“I have always believed that Democrats can be strong on border security while also respecting the rights of migrants to claim asylum,” he said in a post to X, adding later, “Let’s get the job done.”
House Republicans voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of the border crisis, but the Senate has so far not held a trial for the Cabinet official.
