Proposed Border Bill Raises Questions About Activation of Border Emergency Authority

Proposed Border Bill , Raises Questions About Activation of , Border Emergency Authority.

'Newsweek' reports that the Senate's proposed $118 billion southern border bill has drawn scrutiny for the number of migrants allowed to enter the country annually.

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Confusion has reportedly circled around the daily average and the belief it could permit as many as 1.8 million annual migrant crossings.

In December, over 300,000 migrant encounters were reported at the Southwest border, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data.

The proposed legislation looks to deter the influx of migrants at the border by imposing tougher rules on migration and increasing the number of Border Patrol agents.

'Newsweek' reports that one aspect of the proposed legislation revolves around the activation of border emergency authority.

According to the legislation, Department of Homeland Security , "shall activate the border emergency authority if, during a period of seven consecutive calendar days, there is an average of 5,000 or more aliens who are encountered each day.".

The language of the proposed law has drawn criticism, as a hypothetical 5,000 migrants per day for a 365-day period equals about 1.825 million migrants annually.

Republican Senator James Lankford, one of the bill's co-sponsors, defended the legislation and attempted to clarify the meaning of the Border Emergency Authority.

Republican Senator James Lankford, one of the bill's co-sponsors, defended the legislation and attempted to clarify the meaning of the Border Emergency Authority.

The emergency authority is not designed to let 5,000 people in, it is designed to close the border and turn 5,000 people around.

, James Lankford, Republican Senator, via 'Newsweek'.

The Border Emergency Authority only lasts 3 yrs to force this Admin to shut down the border & to give time for the next POTUS to hire more agents & more officers, James Lankford, Republican Senator, via 'Newsweek'.

After three years, the emergency authority expires because we should have regained full control of our border by then, James Lankford, Republican Senator, via 'Newsweek'