Inside Chuck Schumer's Doomed Anti-Immigrant Bill

The so-called Bipartisan Border Act is expected to fail on fly-out day Thursday, before senators leave for a one-week recess.

In floor remarks Monday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that the anti-immigrant bill negotiated earlier this year will see a floor action on Thursday. Schumer’s announcement surprised no one and was met with a bipartisan chorus of opposition.

Senator Thom Tillis, who served for a time as one of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s negotiators on the bill, said he is a hard “no”. Senator Alex Padilla, chair of the Judiciary subcommittee on immigration, told reporters Monday afternoon that he is “a big No” on Schumer’s effort, which has the blessing of top Biden lieutenants like chief of staff Jeff Zients.

Biden’s New Border Czar

• Blas Nuñez-Neto, formerly the Assistant Secretary for Border and Immigration Policy at DHS, was recently promoted to the White House to work under Deputy Chief Natalie Quillian. In effect, this makes Nuñez-Neto the most powerful migrant policy advisor in the White House, answerable to neither the Domestic Policy Council (DPC) nor the National Security Council (NSC).

Padilla Fights Back

“This was the price they were willing to pay for the sake of Ukraine funding, That’s no longer the case. The foreign aid package has been approved.” Padilla correctly pointed out Monday, reminding reporters of the negotiation that created the so-called Bipartisan legislation in the first place.

“This should not be the Democratic starting point for border security or immigration reform,” Padilla added. “Well see what happens Thursday. I obviously seriously doubt it’s going to pass.”

Not Bipartisan

Tillis agrees with Padilla’s assessment of the bill’s chances. “There’s no chance in the House, [Schumer] is fishing for a shiny object to say he tried,” said the North Carolina Republican. Tillis said the Bipartisan Immigration Act is not bipartisan, at all. “For the remainder of this Congress, he’s probably made it virtually impossible to come together on a border/immigration bill.”