The two candidates competing to replace former Rep. George Santos in a special House election next week clashed Monday over a proposed $118 billion Senate deal that would crack down on border crossings and provide aid to Israel and Ukraine.
Former Democratic Congressman Tom Suozzi welcomed the compromise as a reasonable “bipartisan” solution to the immigration crisis while Republican Mazi Pilip blasted it as a green light for “invasion” at the southern border.
The election-year bill was opposed by former President Donald Trump, the likely 2024 GOP White House nominee — and was considered dead on arrival in the Republican-led House.
The measure would provide about $20 billion to control illegal immigrants at the southern border, which saw more than 2.4 million encounters in fiscal year 2023 and flooded New York City with 170,000 immigrants.
One of the provisions would allow federal authorities to close the gate when it encounters an average of 5,000 a day over a seven-day period — or reaches 8,500 in a day.
“The Senate’s proposed border deal is a non-starter for me because it only legislates the ongoing invasion of our southern border,” Philip said in a statement, adding that the threshold of border closures would see at least 1.5 million additional immigrants. enter our country. country every year — even if it is enforced.
Former Democratic Congressman Tom Suozzi sees the compromise as a sensible “bipartisan” solution to the immigrant crisis. Ron Adar / M10s / SplashNews.com The measure would provide about $20 billion to control illegal immigration at the southern border, which saw more than 2.4 million encounters in fiscal year 2023. Getty Images
“That’s absolutely terrible,” the Republican said.
Meanwhile, Suozzi held a Zoom press conference to endorse the bill where he painted Philip as standing with Trump and GOP hardliners who would rather decry illegal immigration than deal with it.
Democrats said the bill would increase funding to hire more border and asylum agents, tighten asylum policies and provide $1.4 billion to help New York City and other municipalities support immigrants.
“There is a significant difference between me and my opponent. I will support it … I support this comprehensive bipartisan solution to address the immigration crisis,” said Suozzi, who added that Philip “is doing the bidding …. from Republican extremists in his party who followed former President Trump, who said, “I don’t want to make a deal because I don’t want to give Biden a win.”
“It’s horrible. What would you do instead?,” added the Democrat.
President Biden has endorsed the Senate bill and vowed to sign it if it comes to his desk, though Suozzi said the president should have dealt with the crisis sooner.
Republican Mazi Philip sees the border bill as a green light for “encroachment” on the southern border. Dennis A. Clark
“Throughout this campaign, I have advocated for protecting our borders, because the immigration crisis created by Tom Suozzi and Joe Biden has had a severe negative quality of life impact on CD-3 residents,” Philip said. “This agreement does not achieve that goal at all.”
The Republican also said he opposes tying aid to Israel and Ukraine to border agreements, saying the three issues should be dealt with separately.
The immigrant crisis has emerged as a dominant issue in the special election for New York’s 3rd District which takes in most of Nassau County and parts of northern Queens.
Bad feelings over the issue reached a boiling point in recent days after it was revealed that the immigrant accused of attacking two officers in Times Square had fled to California after being released rather than being held pending trial.
Monday was the third of nine days of early voting before the Feb. 13 special election.
The Republican also said he opposes tying aid to Israel and Ukraine to border agreements, saying the three issues should be dealt with separately. Getty Images
As of 2 p.m. Monday, 19,714 Nassau residents had voted in the race – 8,497 Democrats, 6,770 Republicans, 3,735 registered independents and several hundred registered to minor parties, the county board of elections reported.
The NYC Board of Elections reported 3,519 Queens residents had voted in the race as of Monday.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
