Elections Why didn’t the Republican Congress pass comprehensive border security?

During the 2017-2019 period, when Republicans controlled both the House and Senate, they did attempt to pass legislation focused on border security, but they faced several challenges:
  1. Internal Party Divisions: The Republican Party itself was divided on how to approach comprehensive immigration reform, including border security. Some Republicans pushed for more stringent measures and funding for a border wall, while others favored a more moderate approach, which included legal protections for Dreamers (undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children). This division made it difficult to pass comprehensive legislation that satisfied all factions within the party.
  2. Filibuster in the Senate: Although Republicans had a majority in the Senate, they did not have the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. This meant that any significant immigration or border security legislation needed some Democratic support, which was hard to obtain due to deep partisan disagreements on the issue.
  3. Focus on Other Priorities: During this period, the Republican-controlled Congress prioritized other legislative goals, such as the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which overhauled the tax system. The focus on tax reform and other issues meant that comprehensive immigration reform did not receive as much attention.
  4. Failed Negotiations: There were several attempts at compromise, including deals that paired increased border security funding with protections for Dreamers, but these negotiations repeatedly broke down, leading to a lack of consensus on a comprehensive bill.
These factors contributed to the failure to pass comprehensive border security legislation during the 2017-2019 period.

src - ChatGPT
 
I can't remember if it was a comedian or actor who said it on a podcast, but it was along the lines that nothing will be done about the border. Regardless of political party, all these rich people want the cheapest labor to take care of their lawns, farm in fields, and other random stuff. Kind of makes sense.
 
Because Paul Ryan was a Koch brothers acolyte and as Bernie Sanders once said 'open borders is a Koch brothers policy'. Libertarians like open borders because free movement of labor drives down wages, so Ryan did everything he could to stifle Trump's immigration agenda. And as Speaker of the House, he could do a lot. That's also why the Trump tax cuts that did make through Congress included a cut for the highest tax bracket. That wasn't in Trump's proposal, which mostly focused on doubling the standard deduction and limiting SALT deductions. Ryan threw the top bracket tax cuts in there to appease his chamber-of-commerce Republican donors.
 
iwannabeadored said:
Interesting. So the border basically is an issue every 4 years but only if the other party is in control ?
Click to expand...
In a sense (just like the national debt and government spending, which is a huge issue for Republicans—but only if a Democrat is in the White House).

In 2017, Trump tried to terminate DACA to use as a bargaining chip. He pledged to sign any immigration bill that congress passed. So both sides came together—a minor miracle in and of itself—and a bipartisan immigration bill was written (the McCain-Coons bill). But Trump didn’t like it, so reneged on his promise to sign it. Since he pledged not to sign it, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wouldn’t let anyone vote for it.

So Republicans pivoted to their next favorite trick: they shut the government down—the longest and costliest shutdown in our history btw—demanding money for Trump’s ridiculous wall. Dems pledged 20-something-billion dollars for comprehensive border security, but Trump only wanted wall money for some dumb reason so he wouldn’t take the deal. Tbh, I don’t really understand why Republicans didn’t take it. I think just thought they could shake us down for more money and more things.

But about that time, courts ruled that Trump couldn’t end DACA, so he lost his main bargaining chip. In the end, he shut the whole government down and cost taxpayers an estimated 11 billion dollars, to get a measly 5 billion—only 1/4 of what Dems initially offered—for his wall.

That’s the Art of the Deal. ;)
 
One important thing is that the border in 2018 is nowhere near the crisis that it has been the last 4 years. We had Mexicans and some Central Americans crossing. Not caravans of 10-20k people with professional camping gear through multiple countries to get here from all over the world. We literally have Chinese, Haitian, African, and Indian migrants mixed in with Latin nations....how in the fuck is everyone getting there? What has happened in the last 3-4 years is different. The crazy part is in NYC they are all separated when they get here. One hotel has all the African and Haitians. Another the Venezuelans'. It's strange as hell.
 
Soggust said:
During the 2017-2019 period, when Republicans controlled both the House and Senate, they did attempt to pass legislation focused on border security, but they faced several challenges:
  1. Internal Party Divisions: The Republican Party itself was divided on how to approach comprehensive immigration reform, including border security. Some Republicans pushed for more stringent measures and funding for a border wall, while others favored a more moderate approach, which included legal protections for Dreamers (undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children). This division made it difficult to pass comprehensive legislation that satisfied all factions within the party.
  2. Filibuster in the Senate: Although Republicans had a majority in the Senate, they did not have the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. This meant that any significant immigration or border security legislation needed some Democratic support, which was hard to obtain due to deep partisan disagreements on the issue.
  3. Focus on Other Priorities: During this period, the Republican-controlled Congress prioritized other legislative goals, such as the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which overhauled the tax system. The focus on tax reform and other issues meant that comprehensive immigration reform did not receive as much attention.
  4. Failed Negotiations: There were several attempts at compromise, including deals that paired increased border security funding with protections for Dreamers, but these negotiations repeatedly broke down, leading to a lack of consensus on a comprehensive bill.
These factors contributed to the failure to pass comprehensive border security legislation during the 2017-2019 period.

src - ChatGPT
Click to expand...
Translation: All they really cared about was passing a billionaire tax cut.

iwannabeadored said:
Interesting. So the border basically is an issue every 4 years but only if the other party is in control ?
Click to expand...
How dare you imply this?!

It can also be an issue during midterms.

Remember the great "caravan" of 2018?
 
Last edited:
BFoe said:
In a sense (just like the national debt and government spending, which is a huge issue for Republicans—but only if a Democrat is in the White House).

In 2017, Trump tried to terminate DACA to use as a bargaining chip. He pledged to sign any immigration bill that congress passed. So both sides came together—a minor miracle in and of itself—and a bipartisan immigration bill was written (the McCain-Coons bill). But Trump didn’t like it, so reneged on his promise to sign it. Since he pledged not to sign it, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wouldn’t let anyone vote for it.

So Republicans pivoted to their next favorite trick: they shut the government down—the longest and costliest shutdown in our history btw—demanding money for Trump’s ridiculous wall. Dems pledged 20-something-billion dollars for comprehensive border security, but Trump only wanted wall money for some dumb reason so he wouldn’t take the deal. Tbh, I don’t really understand why Republicans didn’t take it. I think just thought they could shake us down for more money and more things.

But about that time, courts ruled that Trump couldn’t end DACA, so he lost his main bargaining chip. In the end, he shut the whole government down and cost taxpayers an estimated 11 billion dollars, to get a measly 5 billion—only 1/4 of what Dems initially offered—for his wall.

That’s the Art of the Deal. ;)
Click to expand...
Basically, Democrats have been putting immigration and border reform plans forward for 20 years and Republicans keep rejecting them for "reasons"... all the while conveniently never putting forward a plan of their own.

Same shit with healthcare.

Say it with me:

THEY

DON'T

WANT

GOVERNMENT

TO

WORK
 
Last edited:
I Am Legion said:
One important thing is that the border in 2018 is nowhere near the crisis that it has been the last 4 years. We had Mexicans and some Central Americans crossing. Not caravans of 10-20k people with professional camping gear through multiple countries to get here from all over the world. We literally have Chinese, Haitian, African, and Indian migrants mixed in with Latin nations....how in the fuck is everyone getting there? What has happened in the last 3-4 years is different. The crazy part is in NYC they are all separated when they get here. One hotel has all the African and Haitians. Another the Venezuelans'. It's strange as hell.
Click to expand...


Border has been an issue for 20 years , only difference is Covid shutdowns world wide made people poorer
 
Border enforcement is an executive function, not a new law that needs to be made. Congress is needed for funding, which was blocked and they instead had photo shoots crying into empty parking lots and screaming about kids not being detained with their traffickers and came up with bumper sticker slogans like "the cruelty is the point".

Trump had to go around them and divert funds for wall construction and built 500 miles and implemented Remain in Mexico to drive illegal immigration to the lowest in decades, so they sued him over the diverted funds, Biden/Harris halted wall construction, ended remain in Mexico and told migrants to "surge to the border", which resulted in the country's worst border crisis.
 
they are slightly better than democrats at best, mostly lip service. Trump built the wall, parts of it, the only person to do this in decades, and he had to go through great lengths to get it done.

is it perfect? no, but it's putting up a fighting chance, while democrats invite, provide housing, provide jobs, partner with corporations to kick out american jobs, and they provide lip service wherever the wind blows.
 
There were 10 times as many illegals crossing the border under Trump compared to Biden

There's a reason why they call him Donald "The Open Borders" Trump
 
nostradumbass said:
Border enforcement is an executive function, not a new law that needs to be made. Congress is needed for funding, which was blocked and they instead had photo shoots crying into empty parking lots and screaming about kids not being detained with their traffickers and came up with bumper sticker slogans like "the cruelty is the point".

Trump had to go around them and divert funds for wall construction and built 500 miles and implemented Remain in Mexico to drive illegal immigration to the lowest in decades, so they sued him over the diverted funds, Biden/Harris halted wall construction, ended remain in Mexico and told migrants to "surge to the border", which resulted in the country's worst border crisis.
Click to expand...
Enforcement of what?
Funding of what?

The answer is laws.

Even if you want to answer the funding question as “funding of agencies,” the agencies like ICE are established how?
By laws.
 
Because they have never had a big enough majority to get around the democrats blocking. This and some in fighting about the way and how. They still will not face up to the major key is stopping illegals from being able to work by fining the hell out of any company that hires them. By the way the democrats also will talk shit about this but have a melt down when this is talked about to stop companies from hiring ileagls.

The democrats idea of border security is is make more legal faster. We will see how that works out as they keep the busses rolling.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

White Whale
Economy House Judiciary: Taxpayers funding border crisis, services to illegal foreign nationals
Replies
6
Views
370
Kingz
Kingz

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
1,254,444
Messages
56,647,296
Members
175,332
Latest member
inox40000

Share this page

Back
Top