Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX.) slammed House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Wednesday after he suggested that border patrol agents do not want the $14 billion that the Biden administration requested in supplemental funds for border security.
“I disagree. I obviously wasn’t there, so I don’t know who it was that the Speaker and his cronies were able to visit, but I can tell you that I’ve had these conversations. And what I hear is that they do need the funding,” Crockett said on CNN NewsNight.’ “We have so many officers that are having to leave their homes and be forced to go to the border because we are understaffed and they’re telling me that is uncomfortable when they are not giving any discretion whatsoever to have to leave their families and go to the border and stay in a hotel.”
The $14 billion package would provide an additional 1,300 Border Patrol agents, 1,600 asylum officers, processing personnel and 375 immigration judge teams. It also includes funding for state and local support for temporary shelter, food and other services for migrants recently released from Department of Homeland Security custody.
Asked during a CNN interview why he isn’t even trying to pass the supplemental bill to help with the crisis at the border, Johnson said, “it won’t help.”
“I’m sure the border patrol agents that you’re with think it might do something in terms of making their job a little easier,” host Jake Tapper said.
“No, no, actually they don’t,” Johnson responded.
“They don’t want the $14 billion?” Tapper asked.
“This is not about sending more money down here,” Johnson responded. “It’s about changing the policy. And the White House seems not to understand that.”
“I will disagree and say that they need the funding,” Crockett said. “But I will also agree that there needs to be policy changes as well. It’s not about doing one or the other. It’s about doing both.”
“And I can tell you that the money right now will help those cities that are struggling, whether it’s Eagle Pass or if we’re talking about Chicago, or if we’re talking about New York, I can guarantee you those mayors would not turn down the funding that the President has tried to push through and the Republicans refuse to do it,” she added.
