The U.S. Senate's $118 billion border security bill unveiled Sunday immediately drew flak from many Republicans for sending more aid to Ukraine and Israel without doing enough to stem the flood of criminal migrants at the southern border.
"I can't believe this is the 'border security bill' that's been 'negotiated,'" U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) said on X. "This bill DESTROYS American sovereignty. It will weaken immigration laws for decades and handcuff the next President that actually wants to secure our borders and defend our country. This bill has been crafted to solidify the invasion of illegals into the United States of America. I'm an immovable NO."
U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) agreed with Tuberville and said she would also be a "no" vote.
"At every step along the way, President [Joe] Biden has made it clear that he doesn't want to end the border crisis — he wants to enable it," Britt stated on X. "I won't support this supplemental funding bill, because it would not effectively stop President Biden from continuing his mass migration agenda."
The bill's provisions drawing the most attention included sending over roughly $60 billion more to Ukraine, $14 billion to Israel and $10 billion for humanitarian aid worldwide. The bill would also provide close to $20 billion for border-related items and allow border security to exercise "emergency authority" to close the border if the weekly average of illegal alien encounters surpassed 4,000 per day. The authority would be required if the daily average exceeded 5,000 in a week or 8,500 in one day.
"The Senate' border bill' allows 5,000 immigrants a day into our country…and that's just the beginning," U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) posted to X. "This bill does nothing but reward illegal immigration into the U.S. We need to finish the wall and end the border crisis. The Senate MUST pass HR 2."
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said the bill would be "dead on arrival" in the House, which is on the brink of impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for failing to secure the border. U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) concurred.
"The Senate border bill is Dead on Arrival in the House. We have an unprecedented national security crisis at our border. We deserve a secure border, protection from fentanyl traffickers, and communities not overrun by illegals. This bill doesn't measure up."
U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) also said he would not be voting in favor of the Senate bill if it makes it to the House, and like Carl, promoted House Bill 2 — which imposes limits on asylum eligibility, forces employers to use the E-Verify systems and makes no mention of funding Ukraine — as the better option.
"I cannot believe the Senate actually thinks this bill will secure our border," Palmer said on X. "This poor excuse for a border security bill will continue to incentivize illegal crossings and will not have my support."
U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Monrovia) called for Biden to use the power he already has to reinstitute many of the border policies that proved effective under former President Donald Trump.
"I don't believe that the Senate proposal even represents incremental progress," Strong stated. "President Trump secured our border with the exact same legal system on the books. It is past time for President Biden to use the authorities he already has to protect the American people from this foreign invasion. For starters, this means reinstating 'Remain in Mexico' and sending illegal aliens back to their countries of origin."
Below is a summary of the 370-page bill, known as the Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act.
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