Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., rebuked the Biden administration on Tuesday for attributing the challenges at the southern border and relative legislative hurdles to former President Donald Trump.
Braun’s remarks, made during an appearance on Newsmax, conveyed incredulity at the Biden administration’s stance, asserting, “I don’t know how you can say that with a straight face.”
President Joe Biden, in a February speech televised from the White House, blamed former President Trump for derailing a bipartisan immigration agreement, reported The New York Times.
Biden accused Trump of prioritizing politics over national security, stating, “All indications are this bill won’t even move forward to the Senate floor… Because Donald Trump thinks this is bad for him politically.”
Biden called on congressional Republicans to oppose Trump’s influence on the issue, urging them to “show some spine” and do what is right for the American people.
Appearing on “Rob Schmitt Tonight,” Braun added, “The bill that they’re talking about would have codified illegal immigration at 8 to 10 times the level of that, “which would have been 15 to 20,000 [immigrants entering the U.S.] a month.”
Braun expressed dismay at the potential codification of illegal immigration at a higher level, saying, “What is amazing to me… is how Democrats think they can do anything, spin the narrative, and then come out landing on their feet.”
He warned against the security risks posed by increased immigration, including the emergence of a new category called “gotaways,” who are immigrants who have entered the United States illegally and have not been apprehended by customs or border patrol officers.
Braun urged Republican accountability, stating, “It’s up to all of us to make sure they’re held accountable.”
“We have to be quicker ourselves, and on this one,” he said, “there’s no way you [Biden can] wiggle out of this” border catastrophe of his own making.
