In a recent address on the floor of the House, Texas Representative Chip Roy contested former President Trump’s claim that a president has the authority to shut down the southern border by themselves. This assertion was made in the context of House Republicans obstructing a bipartisan Senate bill on border security, with the argument that President Biden should employ executive actions to stop all migrant entries into the United States.
Refuting Trump’s claim, Roy stated, “No, we’re not just going to pass the buck and say that any president can walk in and secure the border.” He emphasized that simply declaring the border closed does not make it so, citing the millions of people who entered the country during Trump’s presidency.
However, Roy did acknowledge the efforts made by the Trump administration to secure the border despite not implementing a total shutdown as advocated by the former president. He praised their work in reducing the number of migrants and forcing Mexico to implement the migrant protection protocols.
In an unexpected turn of events, a second House vote to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was successful. Representative Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin joined two other Republicans in voting against the first impeachment, and Representative Al Green of Texas, despite recent surgery, attended the vote.
Republicans who supported the impeachment argued that Mayorkas had performed poorly in his role, while Democrats and dissenting GOP members challenged this assertion.
After the unsuccessful first impeachment vote, Roy called on Republicans to concentrate their efforts on border security measures. He stressed the importance of party cohesion and declared, “It’s crucial that we, as Republicans, remember our collective commitment to border security. We understand the strategy required for a secure border. We are committed to advocating for this cause and will diligently pursue it.”
Roy expressed his determination to continue fighting for border security throughout the current Congress, the upcoming elections, and even into the next year with hopes of a Republican president.
The debate surrounding border security and immigration policies remains a key issue for both parties, and it is clear that Republicans like Chip Roy are committed to finding solutions and advocating for their implementation.
