A bill in the U.S. Senate that would change asylum and immigration laws faces heavy opposition.
- President Biden said Tuesday that it appears the current border billwill not pass
- Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, a Republican, opposes the bill, while Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin supports it
- Watch the video to hear their reaction to the bill
Republicans in the Senate declared the bill dead Tuesday afternoon, NBC News reported.
Republicans have called for action on the border for some time.
Asked Tuesday morning why he does not support the current border bill, Sen. Ron Johnson (R - WI) said President Joe Biden could take action on his own.
"We believe President Biden has already had the authority to secure the border, he used the same authority President Trump used to secure the border to open the border," Johnson said.
"This didn't just fall in [the current administration's] lap, they came into office with a largely secured border and they blew it wide open."
NBC 26 asked Sen. Baldwin (D - WI) if President Biden should have taken more action on his own regarding the border from the beginning of his administration.
"Interestingly, people forget this, but the first bill that he proposed was a bill relating to securing our southern border... I believe we must act, there are only so many things they can do administratively."
Former president Donald Trump has slammed the bill.
Johnson said he believes that Trump's oppositon has played no role in the bill's status.
"I, for one, told my colleagues I would not only vote for, I would promote a bill that provides support for the Ukranian people as well as one that secured the border," Johnson said.
Baldwin said Tuesday morning that the bill has a tough path ahead.
"I've said from the beginning that I am committed to be a part of the solution to secure our border and fix our broken immigration system... we all agree that there is a broken immigration system," Baldwin said.
President Biden earlier Tuesday said it looked as if the bill would not pass, and blamed former president Trump, saying Trump wants to use immigration as an election year issue.
Former president Trump has called the bill a "trap" set by Democrats.
