The Ball Is In Biden's Court: As Title 42 Comes To An End, House Republicans Take Action To Secure The Border

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed the Secure the Border Act of 2023 on Thursday before the lifting of Title 42, an executive public health order that fast-tracked deportation of illegal migrants.

The bill's passage was very narrow in a narrowly controlled lower chamber of Congress, according to Just the News. Only 219 voted in favor of the legislation compared to the 213 who voted against it. The Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), rhapsodized about the passage of the bill when he wrote "The Secure the Border Act is the strongest border security bill to pass through Congress in more than years. Here's some of what it does: Ends Catch and Release Resumes construction of the border wall Increases Border Patrol Agents and gives them bonus pay." 
 

The Secure the Border Act is the strongest border security bill to pass through Congress in more than 💯 years. Here's some of what it does:
✅ Ends Catch and Release
✅ Resumes construction of the border wall
✅ Increases Border Patrol Agents and gives them bonus pay

— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) May 12, 2023

In a speech celebrating the passage of the bill, McCarthy said, "Moments ago, House Republicans passed the strongest border security bill this country has ever seen. This bill secures the border from President Biden's record, crossings, record carelessness, and record chaos."
 

"Moments ago, House Republicans passed the strongest border security bill this country has ever seen. This bill secures the border from President Biden's record, crossings, record carelessness, and record chaos." - @SpeakerMcCarthy on the passage of the Secure the Border Act. pic.twitter.com/Mkb4LkABGa

— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) May 11, 2023

WATCH: SEN. TED CRUZ ENRAGED AT THE BORDER— BIDEN, HARRIS, DEMOCRATS: 'THEY DON'T GIVE A DAMN'

The bill itself describes itself as addressing "issues regarding immigration and border security, including by imposing limits to asylum eligibility. For example, the bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to resume activities to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border; provides statutory authorization for Operation Stonegarden, which provides grants to law enforcement agencies for certain border security operations; prohibits DHS from processing the entry of non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) arriving between ports of entry; limits asylum eligibility to non-U.S. nationals who arrive in the United States at a port of entry..." 

The sponsor of the bill, Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), in a press release, commended the passage of the bill calling it "a comprehensive border security and immigration reform bill...to address the ongoing crisis at our southern border and its implications." The bill now heads to a Democratic-controlled Senate.