Republicans Threaten Nuclear Option: ‘Shut Down the Border or Shut Down the Government’

Several House Republicans have threatened to vote against funding the government if a recent deal between Democrats and Republicans to do so doesn’t include border security measures.

On Sunday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced a deal to fund the government for the remainder of 2024 at levels agreed to by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.

Sent out to Republicans on McCarthy-Biden deal: pic.twitter.com/d2dmTcYEvW

— Michael Ginsberg (@mikeginsberg98) May 28, 2023

The deal has been poorly received by conservative members of the House, who have suggested they will vote to shut down the government if the spending is not accompanied by efforts to prevent illegal immigration across the United States’ southern border with Mexico.

Shut down the border.

Or shut down the government. https://t.co/i7gPObCy4a

— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) January 8, 2024

“SHUT DOWN THE BORDER OR SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT. Democrats are shamelessly lying to the American people by claiming the border is secure — all while streamlining a criminal invasion. SHUT IT DOWN,” Republican Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona said in a post on X.

That statement was reposted by GOP Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona and Matt Gaetz of Florida.

Crane, Biggs and Gaetz were three of eight members who voted in October to remove McCarthy from office over a temporary spending deal he struck with Biden to avoid a government shutdown at the end of September.

“I have zero interest in funding a Biden Administration actively removing our national borders,” Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas said in a post on X.

“Funding the government should be contingent on the president signing H.R. 2, or its functional equivalent, into law,” Roy said in another post.

Tennessee GOP Rep. Tim Burchett expressed similar sentiments through his spokeswoman.

“Rep. Burchett believes this harms the border security cause,” Rachel Partlow said in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Partlow added Burchett was “still pondering” whether to support Johnson’s removal from office over the deal.

Roy and Burchett are members of the House Freedom Caucus, a group of 45 House Republicans who take strong conservative positions on most issues before the body.

“At some point, having the House majority has to matter. Stop funding this spending with an open border!” Rep. Bob Good of Virginia, the caucus’ new chairman, said in a post on X.

Republicans agreeing to spending levels $69 billion higher than last summer’s debt ceiling “deal”, with no significant policy wins is nothing but another loss for America. At some point, having the House majority has to matter. Stop funding this spending with an open border!

— Congressman Bob Good (@RepBobGood) January 7, 2024

“This $1.6 Trillion dollar budget agreement does nothing to secure the border, stop the invasion,” Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said in a post of her own.

Green indicated that she would be voting against the proposal in its current form.

“If Biden won’t shut down the border invasion, Congress must shut down the corrupt government that is funding it!” posted Republican Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois, another member.

Senate and House Republicans have already withheld support for further U.S. aid to Ukraine unless conservative border security proposals are approved by the Democratic-led Senate, for which negotiations are ongoing.

Senators aimed to reach a deal on the matter before the end of 2023 but failed to do so.

In fiscal year 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection apprehended more than 2.3 million illegal immigrants along the southern border, according to government data. In fiscal year 2023, that number increased to nearly 2.5 million, while more than 483,000 arrived during the first two months of fiscal 2024.

The increase in illegal crossings has prompted Republicans to accuse the Biden administration of deliberate neglect of U.S. immigration laws and specifically targeted Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who has faced five attempts at impeachment in the House. A new impeachment inquiry, backed by House Republican leaders, is ongoing.

“The number one priority is the border,” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan said on Fox News when asked about the spending deal. “I think we have to [risk a shutdown for border security]. That’s what the American people demand.”

pic.twitter.com/d6O6fZIFIJ

— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) January 7, 2024