U.S. House Debates 'Secure The Border Act Of 2023'

The United States House of Representatives was set to begin debate Wednesday on legislation that represents a top political objective for Republicans in Congress: securing the U.S.-Mexico border by reversing many of President Biden’s border policies and bringing back policies put in place during the Trump administration.

The “Secure the Border Act of 2023” passed out of the Rules Committee Tuesday, where Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK4) said House Republicans are committed to prioritizing the needs of the American people over “the wish-lists of extreme open-border activists.”

“This bill is a complete rejection of President Biden’s border policies and purposeful inaction,” Cole said during the hearing. “It includes important reforms to combat fraud and abuse in the asylum process, prevents the catch and release of aliens into American communities, and establishes new penalties for visa overstays.”

The bill, H.R.2, is seen as largely partisan and, in this time of divided government, is unlikely to go anywhere beyond the House, assuming it passes there by. Sill, Republicans have made the border one of their priority issues -- they’ve campaigned on it and this bill makes a clear statement.

"I think it’s important that the American people know that we care about the sovereignty of this nation, meaning Republicans," said Congressman Kevin Hern (R-OK1) in an interview Tuesday.

Rep. Hern suggested Democrats would be wise to join them and stop supporting policies that he said are to blame for the record illegal crossings the last two years and the flow of deadly fentanyl into the country.

"It’s out of control, and the Southern border being wide-open is certainly a catalyst," Rep. Hern stated, "and for Secretary Mayorkas and the president and vice president to turn a blind eye to that is simply not right."

At a news conference Wednesday to discuss the administration’s preparations for the end of Title 42, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the administration’s goal is to build lawful pathways for people to come to the United States, while imposing tougher penalties on those who come unlawfully.

"We are taking this approach within the constraints of a broken immigration system that Congress has not fixed for more than two decades," Mayorkas stated. "And without the resources we need: personnel, facilities, transportation and others that we have requested of Congress and that we were not given."

The Secure the Border Act would, among other things, reimplement former President Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” program, end catch-and-release policies at the border, restart construction of the border wall, and require the use of E-Verify to check a migrant's work authorization.

"Our border bill that’s going to be put on the floor incorporates every piece of information we put forward in the RSC (Republican Study Committee) just a few weeks ago," said Hern, who chairs the RSC, "which we have spent literally years working on."

At least one item in the bill, however, is giving some Republicans representing rural communities pause -- the E-Verify requirement.

"That creates some concern in the Ag community, because they said that it is difficult to utilize out on the farm," said Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK3) in an interview Wednesday.

Still, Lucas, Oklahoma's Ag expert, said he plans to support the bill, for now. "I don’t believe that the language that we’re seeing this week is the final bill," Lucas explained.

The House was scheduled to vote on the rule governing debate on the bill late Wednesday afternoon, with the final floor vote expected Thursday, the same day the Title 42 authority will be lifted at 11:59 p.m. ET.