On May 23, the U.S. Senate once again rejected a proposed border bill, underscoring its significance as a top concern among voters leading up to the 2024 election. Republicans had previously thwarted the bill in February, when it was rolled into a larger foreign aid package.
Republicans have slammed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) for his choice to reintroduce the bill for a vote, alleging it’s a political maneuver designed to boost Democratic messaging leading into the 2024 elections.
The proposed law, known as the Border Act of 2024, was shot down in a 43–50 vote, drawing more opposition from members of both parties compared to the prior vote in February.
The legislation allocates $20 billion for border security and sets up a procedure to close the border if there are seven straight days with an average of 5,000 illegal immigrants encountered daily, or if more than 8,500 illegal aliens are encountered in a single day.
Supporters of the bill argue that it would give President Joe Biden more power to shut down the border and claim it would ease the crisis by supplying fresh funds to combat the influx of fentanyl across the border.
“It’s a chance