Hispanic Caucus Claps Back Against Biden Border Bill
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As you know, migrants are our people, so that’s where we’re going today with this 13th edition of Capitol.press.
Let’s dive right in —
Latino Lawmakers Pissed at Chuck Schumer
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) has been left out in the cold in Senate negotiations to permanently trade away migrant rights to temporarily fund the Ukrainian military.
“We continue to have concerns and express our concerns about the lack of CHC representation and why there would even be conversations without members of the CHC at the table,” Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA) told us last week.
“I saw the photo of the meeting at the White House the other day — it wasn’t just four members, it wasn’t just four people — it was a room full of people, and the same thing, not a single member of the CHC was in that room,” said Barragán, of the January 17th meeting President Joe Biden called for white lawmakers the White House thinks are relevant to the migrant policy negotiation.
“I think it continues to be a concern and a problem that makes me wonder why — if you’re serious about immigration policy — why would you not include the leaders on the issue?” Barragán continued. “What has been lost and is really frustrating for me is the president was asking for supplemental money and funding to address things at the southern border — like more enforcement, more officers, and more money to combat fentanyl — all the things that Republicans complain about and want. Now, they’re saying ‘We’re not going to give it to you.’”
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), the senior Latino Democrat in the upper chamber of Congress, echoed a lot of Barragán’s concerns. “I have often said that they want the issue more than they want a solution,” he said of his Republican colleagues.” I think that all the comments that have been made and all the suggestions that H.R. 2 is the only way to deal with the border go exactly to that, they want the issue.”
“The flip side is I have no idea what the Biden Border Bill is yet. We’ll have to see what they come up with. If Lindsey Graham, John Cornyn, and John Thune are all clamoring for it, it can’t be that good from the perspective of immigrants,” Menendez continued.
Asked what he thought the CHC should do moving forward to avoid being shut out of future migrant policy negotiations, Sen. Menendez didn’t waffle —
“They got to deny votes. When they work as a bloc and deny votes for something - assuming it’s not acceptable - that will send a message moving forward that when we are not in the room, there are consequences. If they don’t vote as a bloc against it — assuming it is a bad deal — then they’ll continue to get rolled.”
— Arturo, Pablo
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