Biden admin’s new term for migrants sparks Republican fury

President Joe Biden’s administration is facing backlash from GOP lawmakers who are angered by a Thursday statement from the White House that referred to migrants as “newcomers.”

The statement was released ahead of the president’s trip to Brownsville, Texas, where he is scheduled to meet with U.S. Border Patrol agents, law enforcement and local leaders as part of a push to get Congress to pass a bipartisan border security agreement.

One passage of the White House fact sheet states that the border bill “includes $1.4 billion for cities and states who are providing critical services to newcomers, and would expedite work permits for people who are in the country and qualify.”

Republican Representative Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin was among those who took umbrage with the “newcomer” term the administration used for migrants.

“Joe Biden is now calling illegal aliens ‘newcomers.’ This is ABSURD,” Tiffany wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “He has no interest in putting an end to this invasion. He just wants to use more of your tax dollars to aid and abet it.”

Newsweek reached out to the White House via email on Thursday for comment.

Another Republican lawmaker, Georgia Representative Andrew Clyde, called the use of the new term “INSANITY.”

“A ‘newcomer’ just brutally murdered Laken Riley last week,” Clyde said on X.

He added: “‘Newcomers’ are flooding our county with fentanyl. These ‘newcomers’ are costing American taxpayers nearly $500 billion. Joe Biden wants to normalize his intentional illegal invasion.”

Other Republican House representatives who criticized the move in messages posted on social media included Andy Biggs of Arizona, Pete Stauber of Minnesota and August Pfluger of Texas.

A post on the X account for the Republican Conference in the House of Representatives also denounced the Biden administration’s use of “newcomers.”

“Joe Biden is not serious about stopping the illegal immigration into the United States. This is a catastrophe by design,” the House Republicans’ X account message read.

The ongoing fight between the Biden administration and Republicans over the U.S.-Mexico border and illegal immigration has become one of the biggest issues heading into the 2024 election.

Since taking office, the Biden administration has sought to undo many of the strict immigration policies implemented by former President Donald Trump, advocating for a more humane approach to immigration that includes the expansion of legal pathways for migrants and asylum seekers.

However, these efforts have been met with staunch opposition from Republicans, who argue that the Biden administration’s policies have led to a surge in illegal border crossings, creating a crisis at the southern border. They argue that loosening immigration restrictions encourages illegal immigration and places an unsustainable burden on border states, straining public resources and compromising national security.

Republicans advocate for stricter border enforcement, including the continuation or expansion of physical barriers, and stricter asylum rules to deter illegal crossings.

The conflict has been exacerbated by dramatic increases in the number of migrants attempting to cross the border, leading to overcrowded detention facilities and challenging the administration’s ability to process asylum claims efficiently. According to CBP data, the number of encounters at the border has increased by nearly 1 million people every year since fiscal year 2021.