Menendez and Booker ‘Appalled’ by Biden’s Attempt to Pacify the Right
Bothered that President Joe Biden would try to placate the right by hurting immigrants, Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) this morning highlighted their letter urging the administration to reverse their expansion of Title 42 and to drop their proposed transit ban.
Seventy-seven members of the Senate and House signed the letter.
Earlier this month, the President announced two policies that create new restrictions on asylum seekers at the United States border, circumventing domestic and international law, Menendez said.
First, they announced an immediate expansion of Title 42 beyond what was required by the courts. Human rights groups have documented more than 10,000 violent attacks, including kidnappings and deaths, among migrants who have been expelled back to Mexico since President Biden’s term began. Second, their proposed rulemaking to create a new transit ban is an unlawful attempt to rewrite our asylum laws without Congress. A transit ban that requires migrants to seek humanitarian protections in a third country means the most vulnerable migrants fleeing persecution and torture will effectively be unable to seek asylum in the United States.
Appearing with their colleagues outside the United States Capitol Building, Menendez said, “We are appalled that President Biden would replicate President Trump’s immigration strategy. Expanding Title 42 not a solution. It is part of the problem. …You cannot have it both ways, [saying you’re in favor of protecting] those seeking asylum legal right while expanding this disastrous Trump era [policy].”
“I refuse to play that game,” added New Jersey’s senior senator. “End Title 42 in the courts and work with Congress not against us.”
“We should be a light unto the nations. We can do better; we must do better,” Booker added.
Below is a list of those federal lawmakers who joined Menendez outside this morning.
| Sen. Bob Menendez
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Sen. Cory Booker Rep. Greg Casar Rep. Nanette Barragán Sen. Ed Markey Rep. Jan Schakowsky Rep. Yvette D. Clarke Rep. Judy Chu Rep. Cori Bush
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Sneaking in over the border is not immigration.
Few, if any, of the 2m + people that have entered the country since Biden became President are truly asylum seekers.
If anyone understands appalling behavior, it is Booker and Melendez.
As a proud progressive, I can say I have no affinity for the political views of the late New York Times conservative columnist William Safire, but I will concede that his characterization of those he referred to as ‘limousine liberals’, ( being those who are walking contradictions to their political leanings) was spot-on. I have much empathy for down-trodden individuals seeking a better life here. May we absolutely find a more dignified way of responding to their very real needs. However, our two Senators, as Mr. Safire would absolutely say, are limousine liberals. They want open borders, yet they lock the doors to their own domiciles at night (and very much probably at all other times, as well.) There was a time when the unionized, blue-collar labor force was the backbone of the Democratic Party. You tell me if they would have EVER tolerated management (who, of course overwhelmingly voted Republican) to replace them with cheaper, immigrant labor. These two ivory tower limousine liberals, on this issue, are actually (unintentionally) doing the bidding of big money, big business interests by advocating for open borders and the resulting influx of CHEAP LABOR that undercuts the salaries of American Citizens and American legal residents.
Ok, ok how about ride share liberals instead? How’s that?