Senate Republicans praise McConnell for impact on federal judiciary
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, Ky., announced that he will step down from his position in November. McConnell has been the top Republican in the chamber since 2007 and is the longest serving Senate leader in history. The 82-year-old made clear he plans to finish his elected term which ends in January 2027.
McConnell is receiving praise for his tenure, especially for his impact on the federal judiciary.
McConnell oversaw the confirmation of three Supreme Court justices: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. Their lifetime appointments, along with his decision to deny Merrick Garland a hearing during the Obama administration, gave the high court a 6-3 conservative majority.
“I think McConnell’s supreme moment of leadership is after Scalia’s tragic death, he immediately made the announcement, ‘We’re gonna let the American people decide the direction of the court.’ And I think that was the right choice,” Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said.
The three Trump appointees led to the Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade and sent the issue of abortion back to the state level.
In addition to the Supreme Court justices, McConnell also played a main role in the confirmation of 223 Appeals and District Court judges during the Trump administration, according to Pew Research.
“Through sheer force of will, he has shaped the federal judiciary in a conservative fashion,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said in a statement.
Democrats don’t see his judicial legacy as a positive.
“Probably the most lasting political move he’s made as leader — changing the Supreme Court has resulted in Roe v. Wade. Now, we live in the Dobbs era, and we see the chaos that’s created,” Sen. Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said.
But when politics are put aside, Democrats do have good things to say about the Kentucky senator.
“I’ve always appreciated this — if you asked him a question he’s gonna give you a brutally honest answer. And if you ask him what he thinks is gonna happen on his side of the aisle, 99.9% of the time he’s right,” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said.
McConnell has his fair share of Republicans who are happy to see him go. In 2022 Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., challenged McConnell for his leadership position and lost 37-10.
“Nobody has done more to open the geyser of corporate cash into American politics than Mitch McConnell and that needs to change,” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said.
There’s no clear frontrunner to replace McConnell. Multiple GOP senators said they are happy he’s giving them until November to figure it out.
The campaign employee and motive behind fake robocall impersonating Biden
The individual responsible for the Biden robocall scam, which circulated prior to the New Hampshire primary election, has come forward in an exclusive interview with NBC News. The man discussed his motive behind the AI-generated robocall.
Steve Kramer claims to have pulled the stunt in order to bring attention to the dangers of AI ahead of the 2024 election. Kramer compared himself to American Revolutionary heroes in the interview.
United States officials believe the robocall incident marks the first attempt to interfere with an election process by using artificial intelligence.
The robocall impersonating President Joe Biden was sent to 20,000 voters in January before the New Hampshire primary.
The call told voters to “save their vote for November” in an attempt to deter primary voters from showing up to the polls. In the beginning of the investigation, authorities didn’t know who made the call. However, Kramer has recently claimed responsibility for the operation.
Kramer, a long-time election campaign employee, was working for Rep. Dean Phillips, the Democratic challenger to Biden in New Hampshire’s primary. Kramer paid a magician $150 to create a Biden voice message, according to Venmo transactions and text messages shared with NBC News.
Before deploying Biden’s fake call, Kramer first commissioned a fake call that impersonated Sen. Lindsey Graham as a test.
Authorities in New Hampshire are investigating the robocall for potentially violating state laws against voter suppression. Kramer said he received a subpoena from the Federal Communications Commission and welcomes the House of Representatives to call on him to publicly testify.
“This is a way for me to make a difference, and I have,” Kramer told NBC News in part. “I’m not afraid to testify, I know why I did everything. If I had come out right away, it takes away from the goal of the call. Even individuals acting alone can quickly and easily use AI for misleading and disruptive purposes.”
Several news outlets previously reported Life Co., a Texas telemarketing company, was linked to delivering the fake call. Kramer said the company had no knowledge of the content of the call prior to its delivery and he’d use the company again, except it is now done with his business.
NY officials propose restricting social media algorithms for kids
Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., is throwing her support behind legislation that limits the power of social media algorithms for its youngest users. The proposed legislation would also require age verification for anyone under 18.
On Oct. 11, 2023, Hochul announced the state would pursue legislation that would limit the power of Big Tech algorithms and how they connect kids to content they’ve liked in the past. Lawmakers believe the law would protect kids from potentially harmful content.
“They’ll give more parents more tools to keep their kids safe, limit social media’s outreach, and also loosen the grip that these algorithms have on the way our kids think and act,” Hochul said.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the legislation is part of a “broader spending plan” by Hochul. The Journal also said that the proposal is likely to pass with state lawmakers required to take action by March 31.
The proposed law in New York is another critical juncture in the fight to rein in the powers of Big Tech. Forty-one attorneys general nationwide have filed lawsuits against Meta, and more cities and states are enacting laws to combat what critics contend are the harmful impacts of social media on the health of kids and teens.
The Wall Street Journal interviewed New York Attorney General Letitia James, D, who said that she believes the legislation, if passed, will survive a legal challenge. James said it will not falter under legal scrutiny like laws in Ohio and Arkansas, which ban social media for kids.
The laws banning social media for kids in Ohio and Arkansas are unable to be enforced because of legal challenges from NetChoice, a trade group that represents technology companies including Meta and TikTok. A district judge granted NetChoice a temporary injunction after it filed a lawsuit against all three states. Utah’s law doesn’t go into place until March 1, 2024.
The reason James believes the New York’s proposed law will be successful is because it differs in scope from the states that previously enacted age restrictions. Instead of targeting all of the content, New York’s law would target a “delivery mechanism.” The law would not regulate content broadly.
The state senator who sponsors the bill, Andrew Gounardes, D-N.Y., spoke with the Journal.
“If you want to follow the Taylor Swift fan page, that’s great,” said New York Sen. Andrew Gounardes, the bill’s sponsor.“What we don’t want is where you click on one thing and in 15 minutes be shown self-harm videos.”
New York is not the only state attempting to change laws regarding social media usage. The Wall Street Journal reported 140 bills in at least 30 states are on the books regarding media literacy, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
In June, Politico reported that Connecticut required online platforms to perform children’s safety assessments. The assessments are designed to limit kids interactions with potentially dangerous people on social media.
Social media protections for kids have also been prominently featured in national politics recently. Congress members accused companies like Meta of hurting American youth through algorithms that target teens by enticing them with content.
“I know you don’t mean it to be so, but you have blood on your hands,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. said. “You have a product that’s killing people.”
However, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg argues that algorithms are taken out of context, telling The New York Times that his company uses them to identify and remove dangerous content.
Zuckerberg has also questioned the link between mental health issues in teens and social media usage. The Meta CEO said during testimony in front of U.S. senators that he did not see a “causal” link.
However, many lawmakers and activists contend that there is a link between social media and a rise in suicides, depression and mental health disorders among teens. In May, The New York Times reported that the U.S. surgeon general warned of the negative effects social media usage can have on anxiety and depression among kids.
Hochul is not the first public official in her state to take action on the reportedly harmful effects of social media use. In January, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, D, declared a public health emergency regarding social media usage among teens and kids. In response, New York City became the first major city in the U.S. to label social media an “environmental toxin.” Adams said he would reveal more details about his plan of action at a later date.
Lawmakers interrogate Meta, Big Tech CEOs on child safety measures
CEOs from TikTok, X, Snapchat and Meta testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Jan. 31. In a key moment of the hearing on social media child safety measures, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologized directly to the parents impacted by his company’s policies.
“I’m sorry for everything you all have gone through,” Zuckerberg said. “No one should have to go through the things that your families have suffered. And this is why we’ve invested so much and are going to continue doing industry leading efforts to make sure no one has to go through the types of things that your families have had to suffer.”
The CEOs gathered to answer questions from lawmakers about the role their platforms play in the lives of young people, and the power parents have in managing their children’s activity.
Lawmakers argue that social media harms kids and teens, citing encounters that push child sexploitation, nudity, self-harm ideologies, and fentanyl onto young vulnerable people.
“Mr. Zuckerberg, you and the companies before us, I know you don’t mean it to be so, but you’ve got blood on your hands,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C, said “You have a product that’s killing people.”
“When a Boeing plane lost a door mid-flight several weeks ago, nobody questioned the decision to ground a fleet of over 700 planes,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said. “So why aren’t we taking the same type of decisive action on the danger of these platforms when we know these kids are dying?”
In a Congress with increasingly polarized views, senators on both sides of the aisle were united in their calls for more accountability from the tech giants.
“As early as 2017, law enforcement identified Snapchat as the pedophile’s go-to sexual exploitation tool,” Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said.
“Here’s a quote from your own study. Quote ‘We make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls,’” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said toward Zuckerberg.
“The FBI director testified before this committee that there’s been over 20 suicides of kids attributed to online revenge porn in just the last year,” Klobuchar said.
“We are here in this hearing because as a collective, your platforms really suck at policing themselves,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. “We hear about it here in Congress with fentanyl and other drug dealings facilitated across platforms. We see it and hear about it here in congress with harassment and bullying that takes place across your platforms. We see it and hear about it here in Congress with respect to child pornography, sexploitation and blackmail and we are sick of it.”
There was pushback over accusations the tech giants are not doing enough. At one point, Zuckerberg called into question the link between the platforms and the impact they have on kids.
“Mr. Zuckerberg, let me start with you,” Hawley said. “Did I hear you say in your opening statement that there’s no link between mental health and social media use?”
“Senator, what I said is I think it’s important to look at the science,” Zuckerberg responded. “I know people widely talk about this as if it’s something that’s already been proven, and I think the bulk of the scientific evidence does not support that.”
Hawley went on to ask Zuckerberg to speak to the parents directly.
“Let me ask you this,” Hawley said. “There are families of victims here today. Have you apologized to the victims? Would you like to do so now? They’re here, you’re on national television. Would you like now to apologize to the victims who’ve been harmed by your product? Show him the pictures. Would you like to apologize for what you’ve done to these good people?”
That’s when Zuckerberg stood up, turned around, and addressed the victims’ families.
Right now, it’s unclear whether this hearing will result in any direct action from these tech companies. However, lawmakers have introduced legislation they hope will add a layer of accountability for social media companies.
“So, the bottom line is you can’t be sued,” Graham said. “You should be! And these emails would be great for punitive damages. But the courtroom is closed to every American abused by all the companies in front of me. Of all the people in America we could give blanket liability protection to, this would be the last group I would pick. It is now time to repeal Section 230.”
Currently, under Section 230, service providers are not liable for third parties’ content on their platforms, and lawmakers are hoping to change that for victims’ families.
“We’ve got five bills that have received unanimous vote in the committee,” Durbin said. “We’re focused on those bills.”
Graham said he’s going to pressure all his colleagues to vote on bills pertaining to online child safety in the coming weeks.
Biden: US will respond after 3 troops killed by Iran-backed militia in Jordan: The Morning Rundown, Jan. 29, 2024
President Biden said the U.S. will respond after three troops are killed in an attack in Jordan. And climate activists target one of the most famous paintings in the world. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Monday, Jan. 29, 2024.
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Biden says U.S. will respond after 3 troops killed in Jordan
President Joe Biden vows America will respond after three U.S. service members were killed in Jordan on Sunday, Jan. 28, in a drone attack the White House said was launched by an Iran-backed militia. This marks the first U.S. military deaths amid months of strikes in the region since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
At least 34 American troops were injured in the attack on a military base near the Syrian border. According to U.S. Central Command, at least eight of the injured were flown to “higher-level care” outside Jordan.
The Pentagon has not identified the service members who were killed at this time, and officials have not yet said which Iran-backed group was behind the attack.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said America would take necessary actions to defend the U.S., our troops, and our interests. In a statement following the attack, the president called the three service members “patriots in the highest sense.” Speaking in South Carolina, he held a moment of silence for the troops, then added, “And we shall respond.”
Republican lawmakers reacted to the attack by calling on the White House to take action. Senator Lindsey Graham posted on “X” that the Biden administration’s “rhetoric is falling on deaf ears” and the U.S. should “hit Iran now.”
When the Biden Administration says ‘don’t’, the Iranians ‘do’. The Biden Administration’s rhetoric is falling on deaf ears in Iran. https://t.co/A5MwLWBsSj
GOP frontrunner for the 2024 presidential election, former President Donald Trump, blamed the attack on “Joe Biden’s weakness and surrender.”
US pauses funding to UN agency after Israel’s Oct. 7 claims
Fallout continues to grow for the main United Nations agency in Gaza after Israel accused 12 of its staff members of being involved in the terror attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7. After being notified of the allegations last week, the U.N. said it fired several employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
The UN is taking swift action following the extremely serious allegations against several UNRWA staff. These abhorrent alleged acts must have consequences. But the humanitarian needs of the desperate populations UNRWA serves must be met – @antonioguterreshttps://t.co/gy7cthapRa
The United States is among several countries to pause funding to the U.N. agency. The State Department said the U.S. “is extremely troubled by the allegations” as the agency plays “a critical role in providing life-saving assistance to Palestinians” in Gaza.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said he is “horrified by the accusations” that agency workers helped Hamas stage the attacks. But he asked the countries suspending their aid to reconsider.
I condemn in the strongest terms this morning’s attack by Hamas against Israeli towns.
The U.S. is the biggest donor to the agency, providing $340 million in 2022 and several hundred million in 2023.
House Republicans introduce articles of impeachment against DHS secretary Mayorkas
On Sunday, Jan. 28, House Republicans released two articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. House Republicans accused Mayorkas of willfully refusing to comply with the law and breaching public trust as it relates to enforcing immigration laws at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The results of his lawless behavior have been disastrous for our country.
Chair Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn.
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn., said they have “exhausted all other options to hold Secretary Mayorkas accountable.”
“The results of his lawless behavior have been disastrous for our country,” Green said.
Rep. Bennie Thompson, top Democrat on Homeland Security Committee, slams the Mayorkas impeachment process in a letter to Chair Mark Green as "unserious," "inept and inappropriate" and a "partisan sham." pic.twitter.com/fPdZH9cgPV
Ranking member Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., accused Republicans of using the impeachment effort to score political points.
“This unserious impeachment is a testament to partisan politics over rules and reason,” Thompson said.
The articles of impeachment will be reviewed in committee on Tuesday, Jan. 30, and would have to be adopted by the full House before a trial in front of the Senate.
Videos recorded at the Louvre in Paris on Sunday, Jan. 28, show two protesters hurling the liquid at the famous painting, splashing the armored glass that has protected the piece of art since 2005. Paris police took the two women into custody.
Environmental group Riposte Alimentaire said the protest was done to draw attention to unsustainable food production and hunger in France. Staff members at the Louvre evacuated the room which houses the painting for around 90 minutes while the glass was cleaned. The museum said it is lodging a complaint.
USA Hockey announces gear changes following ex-NHL player’s death
Three months after an American hockey player was killed from an ice skate blade cut to his neck, changes are being implemented for young hockey players. It was in late October when former NHL player Adam Johnson suffered a fatal neck injury while playing in England.
The USA Hockey Congress today approved legislation requiring the use of neck laceration protection.
On Sunday, Jan. 28, USA Hockey leadership approved legislation requiring all players under 18 to wear neck laceration protection to games and practices. USA Hockey recommends that adults wear neck protection, too.
In December, the International Hockey Federation mandated neck guards for all its tournaments, including the Olympics. Currently, the NHL has no such policy, though some players have chosen to wear neck protection since Johnson’s death.
Kansas City to meet San Francisco in Super Bowl LVII
On Sunday, Jan. 28, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and the Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens 17-10 to become AFC Champions on their way to the team’s fourth Super Bowl in five years. The Chiefs are hoping for back-to-back Super Bowl wins. And yes, Taylor Swift was there to celebrate.
Later in the day, Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, and the 49ers, down 17 points to the Detroit Lions at halftime, rallied historically to win the NFC championship 34-31. Super Bowl 58 takes place on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.
Where does the 2024 election stand after New Hampshire primary?
The New Hampshire primary is in the rearview mirror as the South Carolina primary approaches in February. Currently, the contest is strongest between two key candidates: Democratic incumbent President Joe Biden and Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump. So, where does the 2024 presidential election currently stand?
On Tuesday night, Jan. 23, in New Hampshire, Biden secured a significant victory through a write-in campaign, despite not appearing on the ballot due to new Democratic National Committee rules acknowledging South Carolina as the first Democratic primary race. However, he didn’t collect any delegates.
With 94% of the vote counted, Biden garnered nearly 54.8% of it, while his closest challenger, Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., only received 19.6%.
On the Republican side, Trump won with a double-digit lead over his rival, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. Trump got 54% of the vote and Haley got 43%.
“And, you know, we have to do what’s good for our party,” Trump said in a speech after winning New Hampshire. “And [Haley] was up, and she was doing like a speech like she won. She didn’t win, she lost. And then I looked at the polls. She was talking about most win-ability, who is going to win. And I had one put up. I don’t know if you see it, but I had one put up. We’ve won almost every single poll in the last three months against crooked Joe Biden. Almost every poll. And she doesn’t win those polls!”
After suffering back-to-back losses to the former president, Haley acknowledged she lost New Hampshire but said she’s not throwing in the towel just yet.
“This race is far from over,” Haley said after acknowledging Trump’s win. “There are dozens of states left to go. And the next one is my sweet state of South Carolina! At one point in this campaign, there were 14 of us running, and we were at 2% in the polls. Well, I’m a fighter, and I’m scrappy, and now we’re the last one standing next to Donald Trump. And today we got close to half of the vote. We still have a way to go, but we keep moving up.”
Haley is hoping to move up to a firs-place win in her home state when South Carolina holds its Republican primary on Feb. 24. Democrats will hold their first primary of the season in South Carolina on Feb. 3.
In a recent state poll highlighted by the Wall Street Journal, Haley is trailing Trump by 30 percentage points.
Several prominent Republicans, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, whom Haley appointed to the U.S. Senate while she was governor of South Carolina, are both endorsing Trump. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is also endorsing Trump.
However, according to a memo sent out by Haley’s campaign, the team is banking on staying in the race until at least Super Tuesday, which will take place on March 5 this year. Sixteen states will hold their primaries, and 874 delegates are up for grabs.
“After Super Tuesday, we will have a very good picture of where this race stands,” the memo stated.
President Biden stated Tuesday night that it was “clear” Trump would be the Republican nominee.
“There was some history that was made tonight,” Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told Fox News after polls closed in New Hampshire. “We’ve never had a nominee in our party that has won without winning either Iowa or New Hampshire. Donald trump is the first, ever, to win both. I’m looking at the math and the path moving forward, and I don’t see it for Nikki Haley. I think she’s run a great campaign, but I do think there’s a message coming out from the voters which is very clear: we need to unite around our eventual nominee which is going to be Donald Trump.”
‘I’m not a yes vote today’: Is the Senate close to passing Ukraine-border bill?
Senate negotiators are close, however, they have not reached a deal on a supplemental foreign aid package. The package would also create border security and immigration reforms in the U.S. The principal lawmakers are working out the details and hope to have something to vote on within a week.
Republicans have been holding up the aid package, demanding changes to immigration parole and asylum. A group of 13 Democrats and counting want an amendment that requires aid recipients to cooperate with U.S. humanitarian efforts.
“Any nation receiving aid in the supplemental package, that would include Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan and probably others, would have to comply with international law and cooperate with U.S. humanitarian efforts,” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said. “So it’s an even-handed and reasonable amendment. No surprise we’re picking up more support.”
Once the final deal is released, it’s expected to pass on a bipartisan basis. Senate leadership wants to get it approved as quickly as possible. But it’s not yet clear how many votes it will ultimately receive.
“I think what Senator Lankford has been able to get Democrats to agree to is remarkable,” Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said. “I just don’t know that it gets to the point of a confidence level that would allow a yes vote yet. Certainly, I want to be a yes vote. But I’m not a yes vote today.”
Cramer said getting to a yes will require stricter rules on immigration parole and better policy enforcement.
Republican leadership, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is urging members to support this deal. GOP leaders contend it is the best they’ll get on immigration reform without Democrats insisting a pathway to citizenship and amnesty also be included. They also said it’s better than anything Democrats would agree to in a Trump administration.
To get this kind of border security without granting a pathway to citizenship is really unheard of.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
“To get this kind of border security without granting a pathway to citizenship is really unheard of. So if you think you’re going to get a better deal next time in ‘25 if President Trump’s president, Democrats will be expecting a pathway to citizenship for that,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told reporters Jan. 17.
Straight Arrow News asked Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., what it is about this particular moment in time that makes this type of deal possible?
“I think the urgency of our aiding Ukraine and Israel increases the imperative to reach some kind of compromise on border security,” Blumenthal said. “But border security itself is an interest and it’s a national security goal that should bring us together.”
Getting the package through the House is another story.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., promised to make a motion to vote on removing Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., if he brings forward a package that includes Ukraine aid; although some Democrats said they’d rescue him if that happens.
House Republicans are keeping immigration in the spotlight as they push for even stricter border measures.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding information about his statements reported by Fox News that said the release rate for immigrants apprehended crossing the border is above 85%.
Jordan wants documents and communications from the department related to the releases and monthly updates going forward.
The Judiciary Committee also released data that shows there are at least 617,607 immigrants with criminal convictions or pending criminal charges who are listed as not-detained by ICE.
Senate Republicans tell House GOP they won’t get better immigration deal with Trump
After nearly three months of negotiations, senators believe they are close to an agreement on an aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific. As Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. put it, “We’re down to the last ten yard line.”
Why the new sense of optimism? Because the package now includes what Republicans describe as meaningful reforms to immigration policy including asylum, expedited removal, parole and more.
“The work’s not done on the supplemental but I am really hopeful that negotiations are in the right direction,” Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said. “We are closer than we have ever been. And the sense of cooperation between Leader McConnell and myself and the leadership of both sides, you’ve heard what Senators Thune and Cornyn have said lately, bodes very well, bodes very well for getting things done.”
But if the Senate comes to an agreement, it won’t be easy to get through the House where Republicans say they want nothing short of HR2, their signature border bill that Democrats describe as extreme.
“Border, border, border,” Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said. “We have to take care of our own house. We have to secure our own border before we talk about anything else.”
Conservative House Republicans think they could get an even better deal if former President Donald Trump is reelected in November. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., told NBC News she would personally file a motion to force a vote on ousting Speaker Johnson if he brings forward a deal that provides funding for Ukraine, regardless of what immigration reforms it includes.
But Senate Republicans are very publicly telling their House Republican colleagues that this deal is as good as any they’re going to get, so support it now while they have the chance.
“To get this kind of border security without granting a pathway to citizenship is really unheard of,” Sen. Graham said. “So if you think you’re going to get a better deal, next time, in ‘25 if President Trump’s president, Democrats will be expecting a pathway to citizenship for that.”
“If we had a 100% Republican government – President, House, Senate – we probably would not be able to get a single Democratic vote to pass what Senator Lankford and the administration are trying to get together on,” Sen. Minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters.
After a meeting with President Joe Biden and other Congressional leaders on Wednesday, Jan. 17, Speaker Johnson told CNN that he will not commit to putting the package on the House floor for a vote.
Biden granting immigrants parole 105x more than Trump and Obama
The number of immigrants, who according to U.S. law have no legal basis to stay in the country but are given permission to remain, has gone up more than 100-fold since President Joe Biden assumed office. Parole, according to the American Immigration Council, temporarily allows immigrants to remain in the United States while they apply for legal status.
Parole protects people from deportation but does not provide a pathway to citizenship. Parolees can receive a work permit but are expected to leave when their parole ends.
Parole differs from asylum, which provides legal status to remain in the United States and a pathway to a green card and citizenship.
During fiscal years 2014 through 2019, former Presidents Obama and Trump granted parole 4,043 to 7,525 times per year. The Biden administration granted parole 795,561 times in fiscal year 2022 and another 802,764 in the first three quarters of fiscal year 2023. Fourth-quarter data from 2023 has not been released.
“They’re abusing the law,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told reporters, referring to members of the Biden administration. “And these negotiations are looking for every way to get around the law. No matter how you write it, none of us trust the Biden administration to implement the law. So there needs to be a hard cap on parole.”
Republicans will not support an aid package for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific without parole and other immigration reforms.
The Immigration and Nationality Act allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant parole for humanitarian reasons or a significant public benefit on a case by case basis. The GOP contends the Biden administration is illegally granting it en masse.
“You cannot fix the problem that we have, the crisis that we have at our southern border, unless you address this critical issue,” Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said. “The abuse by this administration of the parole board, it has to stop.”
President Biden is hosting top Congressional Republicans at the White House as the two sides try to finalize a deal. He and his fellow Democrats have called for stronger border security measures over the last couple of months, but they have not come far enough to get the support of Republicans.
I think there need to be stages of review so that people on parole are at some point given a review, and assessed whether they are dangerous, whether they have a legitimate claim to asylum.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.
“I think there need to be stages of review so that people on parole are at some point given a review, and assessed whether they are dangerous, whether they have a legitimate claim to asylum,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told SAN.
The Biden administration said its use of parole is meant to prevent illegal crossings because migrants from certain countries who cross the border without first applying and making an appointment for screening are automatically ineligible.
“I think that the parole program serves some very, very important functions, particularly as it relates to the Afghan refugees who are our at-risk allies. It also is important for Ukrainians. And I think the program has to be continued,” Blumenthal said.
Trump’s rhetoric enflames debate over immigration policy
One of former President Donald Trump’s top campaign promises heading into 2024 is immigration reform. Trump highlights the border crisis as a top issue facing the U.S., a sentiment shared with the majority of American voters.
According to polls released this month from CBS News and the Wall Street Journal, “immigration & the border” is the second most important issue for voters behind the economy.
Trump highlights his immigration policies at almost every rally on his campaign trail, saying it will lead to the largest reform the U.S. has ever seen. Trump has said he will conduct mass deportations of immigrants who crossed the border illegally. The former president also plans, if he wins the 2024 presidential election, to bring in the National Guard and troops from overseas to the border to stop the influx of migrants crossing illegally into the country.
Trump’s remarks at a New Hampshire rally on Saturday, Dec. 16 have largely overshadowed policy in his latest controversy.
They’re poisoning the blood of our country. They’ve poisoned mental institutions, prisons all over the world — not just South America or the three or four countries we think about. But they’re coming from all over the world from Africa, Asia. They’re pouring into our country. Nobody is even looking at them. They just come in.
Former President Donald Trump
“When they let 15-16 million people into our country, when they do that, we’ve got a lot of work to do,” Trump said on the New Hampshire stage. “They’re poisoning the blood of our country. They’ve poisoned mental institutions, prisons all over the world — not just South America or the three or four countries we think about. But they’re coming from all over the world from Africa, Asia. They’re pouring into our country. Nobody is even looking at them. They just come in.”
Trump has been criticized for his “poisoning the blood of our country” remarks because Adolf Hitler’s manifesto called the mixing of races “blood poisoning.”
Both Democrats and some Republicans have publicly condemned the former president’s choice of words. Trump’s rhetoric is something Republicans are getting used to answering for, largely downplaying the comments of the party’s frontrunner.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, S.C., was pressed on Trump’s remarks on NBC’s Meet the Press.
“To the Biden administration, you’re talking about Donald Trump’s language as you sat on the sidelines and allowed the country to be invaded,” Graham said. “You know, we’re talking about language. I could care less what language people use as long as we get it right. If you’re talking about the language Trump uses rather than trying to fix it, that’s a losing strategy for the Biden administration.”
Graham argued the country should focus on the difference in policy. Following Trump’s Dec. 16 remarks, major news outlets have described Trump’s immigration-related rhetoric as “anti-immigrant” or “anti-immigration“.
Trump seemed to attempt to clarify the remarks on Truth Social after his speech, standing by being against illegal immigration.
Trump’s words are known to trigger controversy. Trump recently said he would be “dictator for a day.” But his rhetoric doesn’t seem to be hurting him in the polls. Trump’s lead in the primary is unwavering. No presidential candidate has been this far ahead in national polls and gone on to lose the primary.