Over a dozen House Democrats voted with Republicans to back a resolution that denounced President Biden’s border policy on Tuesday, adding to pressure on the president to focus on a critical 2024 campaign issue.
Led by Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas), the measure accuses Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of creating “the worst border security crisis in the Nation’s history,” and claims the president “systematically dismantled effective border security measures and interior immigration enforcement.”
It additionally says Biden “purposely violated United States immigration law,” and has operated an “open borders agenda.”
The resolution passed the House in a 226-193 vote, with 13 members not participating. A total of 14 Democrats voted to pass the measure.
The vote sends a message to the Biden administration as moderate Democrats increase pressure on the president to consider more strict border controls amid Congressional negotiations on border security that have come to a standstill.
President Biden backed a bipartisan Senate bill last month that included extensive border security reforms, but the bill was rejected by House Republicans as too weak. Negotiations have slowed in recent weeks as each side appears unwilling to consider the others’ demands.
The debate has brought legislation in the House to a halt, including government funding measures.
The border is consistently one of the most important issues to voters in 2024, according to public opinion polls, with many swing-district members on both sides of the aisle urging their parties to find a solution on border security.
Tuesday’s resolution demands Biden use executive authority to end “catch-and release,” expedite the removal of migrants from the country and make reforms to the asylum system. Biden has claimed that congressional action is required for any reforms to take place.
Earlier Tuesday, more than 20 House Democrats launched a border security task force, assigned to debating and lobbying for border security policy. A number of its members, including co-chair Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), also voted for the House measure criticizing Biden.
The Democrats who backed the bill were Reps. Yadiar Caraveo (Colo.), Angie Craig (Minn.), Cuellar, Sharice Davids (Kan.), Donald Davids (N.C.), Jared Golden (Maine), Steven Horsford (Nev.), Greg Landsman (Ohio), Susie Lee (Nev.), Jared Moskowitz (Fla.), Frank Mrvan (Ind.), Mary Peltola (Alaska), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash.) and Eric Sorensen (Ill.).