WASHINGTON, D.C. — Both of North Carolina’s U.S. senators, Republicans Ted Budd and Thom Tillis, announced they would not support the national security and border package unveiled Sunday night after months of closed-door negotiations.
Calling it a “backroom deal,” Budd said of the bill, “This deal fails to change the state of the border crisis. The bill normalizes thousands more border crossings per day, institutionalizes catch and release, bails out sanctuary cities, and gives President Biden the ability to delay border wall construction even longer.”
He added, “While I support efforts to boost our nation’s industrial base and support our ally Israel, my core principle has always been that we must secure our own border before we help other countries protect theirs. That is why I will vote no.”
Tillis in his statement commended the Republicans who took part in the negotiations but cautioned he would not support a futile procedural exercise if a majority of GOP senators did not support the measure.
The two-term senator added that after reviewing the bill text, he said he would vote no.
“There are provisions that are highly problematic, especially considering the fact that President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas caused this border crisis and have refused to use existing laws already on the books to address it. It is hard to trust that the Biden administration would even implement this bill in good faith,” he added.
