Speculating on Senate border bill negotiations, Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., called the potential provision "absurd" that would allow 5,000 illegal migrants to cross into the United States before enacting deterrence.
The bill being considered would force the Department of Homeland Security to close the border if the daily average for migrant encounters reaches 5,000 over a seven-day period or if the number of crossings in a single day hits 8,500, according to NBC News.
About 1,400 undocumented migrants per day would be allowed to cross legally through ports of entry during a shutdown. And the restrictions would not be pulled back until the number of migrant encounters fell below 75% of the number that triggered the closure and then stayed below 75% for at least a week, the network said. DHS would then have two weeks to reopen the border.
But the four DHS sources told NBC News that closing the border would require Mexico to take back migrants.
"Whoever is over there saying that '5,000 can come in a day,' that is absolutely absurd," Green said Wednesday on Newsmax's "Rob Schmitt Tonight.
"I'm the chair of the Homeland Security in the House. It's dead on arrival."
Last week, tensions surrounding the bill erupted into a shouting match between senators broke during a lunch break, The Hill reported.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said the secretive nature of the border negotiations is putting off almost the entire conservative conference, which has been shut out except for Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., the GOP's lead negotiator.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said the question of tying foreign aid with the border has divided the Senate.
"The caucus is very much split on sending more money to Ukraine but also to the border aspect to it," Paul said.
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Nick Koutsobinas ✉
Nick Koutsobinas, a Newsmax writer, has years of news reporting experience. A graduate from Missouri State University’s philosophy program, he focuses on exposing corruption and censorship.
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