Speaker Johnson Calls Biden to Demand Action to Secure Border

Speaker Mike Johnson and President Biden engaged in a phone conversation on Wednesday to discuss the pressing migrant crisis.

During the call, Speaker Johnson strongly encouraged President Biden to utilize executive action to address and secure the southern border, as conveyed by Johnson's spokesman Raj Shah.

Republican Speaker Mike Johnson PHONES Biden and tells him to use executive action to secure the southern border as migrant crisis reaches breaking point https://t.co/mP7CCcCgid pic.twitter.com/fk9Ue1Dj1w

— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) January 10, 2024

The urgency for a border resolution arises from the unprecedented influx of over 200,000 migrants into the U.S. in December, marking the highest monthly record in history.

Senate Republicans are currently in ongoing discussions with the White House, aiming to reach an agreement on a border security package linked to Ukraine and Israel aid.

It remains unclear whether the call was initiated by Johnson or Biden, but it coincided with the Republicans' first hearing on potentially impeaching Biden's Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas.

During the call, Johnson also advocated for the reinstatement of Trump-era policies, such as building the border wall, reviving the Remain in Mexico program, and expanding expedited removal for those unable to demonstrate asylum eligibility.

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre explained during the daily briefing that the president believed a phone call was the quickest option on that day.

According to Johnson's office, the speaker reiterated the contents of a December 21 letter he had previously sent to the president.

In the letter, Johnson urged Biden to end 'catch-and-release,' turn away migrants encountered between ports of entry, and utilize parole only on a 'case-by-case basis.' Johnson went further, recommending the suspension of all immigration under Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, allowing the president to temporarily halt the entry of foreign citizens deemed 'detrimental' to U.S. interests.

The December letter highlighted the severity of the crisis, emphasizing the House's strict immigration bill, H.R.2, and the Customs and Border Patrol's encounters with nearly 2.5 million migrants in fiscal year 2023. Border crossings peaked at 12,000 per day toward the end of the year, surpassing the capacity resources for border agents at around 5,000 crossings per day.

Johnson, who led a delegation of over 60 GOP lawmakers to Eagle Pass, Texas, last week, emphasized the human tragedy resulting from the wide-open border, including issues like human trafficking, fentanyl, and individuals from the terrorist watchlist entering the country.