Statement from President Joe Biden On the Bipartisan Senate Border Security Negotiations

For too long, we all know the border’s been broken.

It’s long past time to fix it.

That’s why two months ago, I instructed my team to begin negotiations with a bipartisan group of Senators to seriously, and finally, address the border crisis. For weeks now that’s what they’ve done. Working around the clock, through the holidays, and over weekends.

Let’s be clear.

What’s been negotiated would – if passed into law – be the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border we’ve ever had in our country.

It would give me, as President, a new emergency authority to shut down the border when it becomes overwhelmed. And if given that authority, I would use it the day I sign the bill into law.

Further, Congress needs to finally provide the funding I requested in October to secure the border. This includes an additional 1,300 border patrol agents, 375 immigration judges, 1,600 asylum officers, and over 100 cutting-edge inspection machines to help detect and stop fentanyl at our southwest border.

Securing the border through these negotiations is a win for America.

For everyone who is demanding tougher border control, this is the way to do it.

If you’re serious about the border crisis, pass a bipartisan bill and I will sign it.