The White House attacks House Speaker Mike Johnson’s position on border security and discussions about additional funding in a new public memo Monday morning.
This comes after Johnson criticized President Biden’s approval of these negotiations, arguing that it was the Democratic administration’s policies and executive actions, not existing law, that were fueling the border crisis.
“Until recently, President Johnson advocated for HR2 because, in his view, presidents needed new legal authorities to secure the border,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre , referring to the border security bill that Democrats called a failure. “What’s more, the Trump administration has argued the same thing – with the full support of the time. Congressman Mike Johnson“.
“If President Johnson continues to believe – like President Biden and Republicans and Democrats in Congress – that we have the imperative to act immediately at the border, he should give this administration the authority and funding we are asking for to secure the border. » said Jean-Pierre.

President Biden, right, and President Mike Johnson are once again arguing over who has the authority to close the border. (Getty Images)
Johnson’s spokesperson Raj Shah responded to Jean-Pierre, saying Johnson had remained consistent that “national security begins at our own border.”
“The Border Security Act would codify this principle into federal law and he continues to strongly urge the Senate and the President to support this or similar legislation,” Shah told Fox News Digital.
“But make no mistake, President Biden pledged Friday to ‘close the border.’ However, with the stroke of a pen, he could start by reinstating stay in Mexico, ending capture and release, reform asylum and parole standards. His refusal puts our national sovereignty at stake.
Biden promised Friday that he would “close the border” if the proposal under development in the Senate became law.
Johnson responded: “President Biden falsely claimed yesterday that he needs Congress to pass new legislation to allow him to close the southern border, but he knows that is false.”

Texas National Guard Soldiers wait near the boat ramp where law enforcement enters the Rio Grande at Shelby Park January 26, 2024, in Eagle Pass, Texas. (Photo by Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images)
The speaker wrote Biden a letter late last year calling on him to take executive action at the border.
“As my letter indicates, President Biden can begin to secure the border by ending capture and parole, ceasing the exploitation of the parole power, reinstating the Remain in Mexico program, expanding the use to expedited deportation power and resuming construction of the border wall,” Johnson said Friday.
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“The president must begin by using the broad legal authority he already possesses to reclaim our nation’s sovereignty and end the mass release of illegal aliens into our country,” Johnson added.
Jean-Pierre’s memo on Monday noted that Johnson’s letter also said: “Statutory reforms intended to restore operational control to our southern border must be adopted. »

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre criticized House Speaker Mike Johnson in a statement Monday. (Andrew Thomas/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
She also referenced then-President Trump’s past comments calling on Democrats to pass border and immigration reform and close “loopholes” in the system.
A bipartisan group of senators has been negotiating with the Biden administration for weeks on measures to thwart the ongoing migrant crisis. Republicans in the House and Senate have said such reforms are key to their support of Democrats’ request for $106 billion in additional funding for Ukraine, Israel and other issues.